Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix
by LeTimbo
Summary: My guess on what Harry's sixth year will be like. This started off as one of the first 6th year stories out there, but took a year or two break. Expect OWL results, advanced classes, Vodlemort, and more! Pretty much abandonded at this point.
1. Chapter 1 Summer of OWLs and Books

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 1 - Summer of O.W.L.s and Books

            Although it seemed to be any ordinary day in the middle of summer, with its heat, humidity, and thunderstorms, it was completely different from a year ago.  The Dursely family, of number four Privet Drive, was gathered around the television to watch the latest reports of death and destruction.  It appeared, according to the experts paraded from show to show, network-to-network, that a new breed of terrorists has declared war against Britain, and all of her inhabitants.  Even though none of the experts were certain of the cause of the terrorist attacks, they all knew one thing, they revolved around a group who were represented by a skull and a serpent, for on all of the victims of the deceased, a tattoo was engraved on their forehead of the same symbol.

            But one boy knew better than anyone else in his neighborhood, and knew what was happening more than the so-called "experts" on the television.  He knew the reason why these fifty or so people have been murdered, and that's because they were simply who they were: Muggles.  Muggles, who have no magical blood in them, were being attacked by a radical group of wizards known as the Death Eaters, with the evil Lord Voldemort at the helm.

            "Well boy, last year you kept on wanting to watch the news.  You happy with what's happening out there?" grunted a mean, short, fat man by the name of Vernon Dursely.

            "No, Uncle Vernon, those people on the TV don't know what's going on…" replied a lanky boy with dark hair, glasses, and a scar on his forehead, named Harry Potter.

            "You think YOU know better?  That's it…I am tired of your countless rebellions against us.  We may have to keep you here for another couple of years, but no one said how.  Upstairs with you…we will feed you and let you use the toilet, but beyond that you will not be leaving your room and putting our innocent family in danger! " And at this point Harry Potter tuned Vernon Dursely out and walked upstairs to the smallest bedroom, his home for the next month.

            Harry walked straight to his bed and plopped down.  Lord Voldemort with his evil Death Eaters have struck the defenseless Muggles again.  It had been only a month since Lord Voldemort has tricked Harry into the Department of Mysteries, inside the Ministry of Magic, and killed his godfather Sirius Black, the only person Harry could ever claim as a father figure in his life.

            Harry had kept his word and owled the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix every two or three days, but he wrote no more than the basic "everything is still normal, when can I leave?" and the only response he seemed to receive was "Patience Harry, you will be able to leave in time to get to Hogwarts."

            Harry was desperate to get back to Hogwarts; it was the only place he felt close to safe at all.  Even though he was supposedly safer in his Aunt's home then anywhere else, due to his blood bond, we was always scared something would go wrong, and Lord Voldemort would be upstairs trying to kill Harry once and for all.

            As for Harry's best friends, Ron and Hermione, he was not able to contact them very often, for they were holed up in the headquarters of the Order, and were not able to OWL him, for only one owl was allowed in for any reason, and that was Hedwig, Harry's owl, at least that's what the Order told him.  They had apparently placed another spell on the house that only allowed Hedwig in and out more than once every two or three days. And Hedwig was only allowed to go to the Order and back. They didn't know what Harry was going through: Lord Voldemort had to kill Harry, or Harry had to kill Lord Voldemort, and there were no other ways around it.  A prophecy, which Lord Voldemort was after only a month ago, had stated such and there was no way to avoid a prophecy.  He still hasn't told his friends about the prophecy yet…they thought it was destroyed in the battle, but Harry had heard it from Dumbledore's pensive.

            Just as Harry was about to get stuck in another rut about his situation and get really angry at the Order and at all of his friends because of the loss of Sirius, Hedwig flew up to his window and began to tap on it.  Harry grudgingly got up and opened the window.  Hedwig flew in and presented her letters to Harry.  Wait a minute, thought Harry, letters?  It looked like there were about ten different letters that Hedwig brought.

            He grabbed the pieces of parchment and turned on the lights, then sat down on his bed to read.  The first letter was the usual one from the Order that it was good of him to check in, and to not forget to write back in a few days.

            The next letter was obviously from Hogwarts, because it had the Hogwarts Seal on the envelope, and Harry would never forget that beloved seal.

            "Dear Mr. Potter,

Enclosed you will find the results for your latest OWL exams, and what they mean with respect to your class choices next year, and what electives it is suggested you take.  With your special circumstances, you are to owl your reply back with your regularly scheduled letter, and you will receive our response back in a week's time.

You may also not be aware of the latest decree from the Ministry, but students above fifth year at Hogwarts are now allowed to use magic, as long as it is not in the presence of Muggles, and not against any sentient being if not in any danger.  Any abuse of this privilege will have it taken away.

                        -Prof. Minerva McGonagall"

"We can use magic outside of school!  Awesome." said Harry to the only thing that would listen, Hedwig. Finally, he thought, his OWL results.  He has been waiting on these results for the past month.  He flipped to the next sheet and began to read.

"**O.W.L. results for Mr. Harry James Potter**,

**Potions**: _Outstanding_

**Defense Against the Dark Arts**: _Outstanding_

**Care of Magical Creatures**: _Outstanding_

**Charms**: _Exceeds Expectations_

**Transfiguration**: _Exceeds Expectations_

**Herbology**: _Exceeds Expectations_

**Astronomy**: _Poor_

**Divination**: _Dreadful_

**History of Magic**: _Dreadful_

Total amount of OWLs: **Six**"

Harry had to stop reading there…All in all they were what he had been around what he had been expecting…but outstanding for potions?  Are they insane?  There must have been some sort of mistake in his Outstanding for potions…Snape kept giving him D's.  Thank Merlin Snape was not one of the examiners.  Dumbfounded, Harry moved to the next piece of parchment.

"**Suggested Schedule of Courses for Mr. Harry James Potter**:

If you have a problem with the level of the courses you are taking, you may appeal to the professor and to the Headmaster to determine which level is appropriate.  The levels, in order of difficulty, are Intermediate, Advanced, and NEWT Preparatory.

NEWT Preparatory Potions (Prof. Snape)

NEWT Preparatory Defense Against the Dark Arts (Prof. Moody, Prof. Lupin)

NEWT Preparatory Care of Magical Creatures (Prof. Hagrid)

NEWT Preparatory Charms (Prof. Flitwick)

NEWT Preparatory Transfiguration (Prof. McGonagall)

NEWT Preparatory Herbology (Prof. Sprout)

Suggested Elective Classes 

Please note that not all courses all year around - some are only for certain, noted terms. You may have no more than three elective courses a term without prior approval from both the Professor and the Headmaster.  If you wish to take more than what is listed below, please inform both the Professor and the Headmaster:

Occlumency (Fall Term, Prof. Dumbledore)

So you want to be an Auror? (Spring Term, Moody)

Apparition (Summer Term, Prof. Flitwick)

Animagi and Metamorphmagi (Year Round, Prof. McGonagall)

Dueling and the DA: Highly Advanced DADA (Year Round, Prof. Dumbledore, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger)

Special Seminar in DADA: The Return of Lord Voldemort (Year Round, Prof. Moody, Prof. Lupin, Prof. Dumbledore)"

Harry also read below his suggested schedule a hastily written note, signed by Prof. Dumbledore,

"Harry, I am sorry to say you have no choice in your electives.  You must take these courses, even though they are more than the average load.  If you have a major problem, you may appeal, but you must put faith in your professors and the Order who have mapped out these classes for you. You are listed as a co-professor for Dueling and the DA, along with Miss. Granger and myself, for reasons that will be explained in a future meeting.  Your books will be arriving in a week with your confirmation of classes."

Harry dropped the last parchment out of both surprise and anger.  He was angry that people had once again planned out his future, but as he looked at what classes he will be taking next year he got excited.  He could not think of any other classes that he would like to take; although he would be interested to see what classes his friends Ron and Hermione would be taking.

His next letter was from Hermione and Ron.

"Hey Harry,

We are back where we were last summer, although it is a much more dismal mood.  We can't talk about the details, but his death has affected everyone here, and the house is a much different place without him.  That being said, we thought we would tell you what classes we've decided to take and how we did on our OWLs.  Its too bad we won't be having as many classes together as last year, but we can still hope for the best.  Dumbledore told us to tell you that you can respond to us in your response about your classes next year, but that will be the only time you can owl us for the summer.  We both wish we could be there with you, but the circumstances have changed.

Hope to see you soon!

-Hermione & Ron"

The writing seemed to be from Hermione, but there were two attached parchments, one obviously in Ron's handwriting and the other in Hermione's.

He read the letter from Ron first.

"Hey Mate,

Here are my results:

Defense Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding

Care of Magical Creatures: Exceeds Expectations

Herbology: Exceeds Expectations

Transfiguration: Acceptable

Astronomy: Acceptable

History of Magic: Acceptable

Charms: Poor

Divination: Poor

Potions: Dreadful

6 OWLs and only 1 D, I'm satisified, although it looks like my hopes for becoming an Auror have been dashed.

Ill be taking:

NEWT Preparatory DADA

NEWT Preparatory Herbology

NEWT Preparatory History of Magic (that'll be torture!!)

NEWT Preparatory Astronomy

NEWT Preparatory Care of Magical Creatures

Advanced Transfiguration

Intermediate Charms

Dueling and the DA: Highly Advanced DADA (**I CANT BELIEVE YOU ARE TEACHING A CLASS**)

Career Guidance Continued (that's only one semester)

No more Potions and Divination!!  I can't wait!!

See you soon!

-Ron"

Well, thought Harry, at least I'll be able to have some classes with Ron, even though only four of them.  Better read Hermione's…

"Hi Harry!

Here are my results:

Potions: Outstanding

Defense Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding

Care of Magical Creatures: Outstanding

Charms: Outstanding

Transfiguration: Outstanding

Herbology: Outstanding

Runes: Acceptable

Arithmancy: Acceptable

History of Magic: Exceeds Expectations

Astronomy: Poor

That is 9 OWLs total, and McGonagall told me that's the highest in our year!  I'm so frustrated I didn't get an OWL in Astronomy and Ron did!  It's driving me crazy!

Anyways, here are my classes next year.  Can you believe we're teaching a class with Dumbledore!!  It'll be so exciting!  It's a shame that's the only elective I can take…they all seem so interesting!  I'm just taking too many NEWT classes to allow any more, and McGonagall told me that I'm lucky to be taking this many NEWT classes, they normally don't allow any more than 7 NEWT level classes.

Ill be taking:

NEWT Preparatory DADA

NEWT Preparatory Herbology

NEWT Preparatory History of Magic

NEWT Preparatory Potions

NEWT Preparatory Care of Magical Creatures

NEWT Preparatory Charms

NEWT Preparatory Transfiguration

NEWT Preparatory Runes

NEWT Preparatory Arithmancy

Dueling and the DA: Highly Advanced DADA

Hope to see you soon!

-Herminie"

Harry couldn't say he was shocked at how Hermione did, 9 OWLs.  "At least we three will have four classes together, although Hermione and me will have more together than Ron," thought Harry.

Harry grabbed his parchment and a quill and replied back saying that the classes are fine by him, and he sent a copy of his results and his schedule back to Ron and Hermione, and then went to sleep.

Throughout the next week, Harry stayed in his room, ignored by the Dursleys except when food would be pushed through is cat flap at dinnertime, anxiously awaiting the 31st of July, which would be exactly a week later from his owl about the OWLs. And on July 31st, Harry's birthday, nonetheless, Harry was one his bed waiting Hedwig to come back.  It seemed to take Hedwig forever to arrive, and when she did arrive he was highly disappointed.

All she carried was a piece of parchment and a small package, no bigger than a shoebox.  How, Harry wondered, did all of his books fix in the size of a shoebox?

The letter answered his question.

"Dear Mr. Potter,

Enclosed you will find a small package.  Please tap your wand to the package three times, and it will expand.  Another note has been placed in the expanded package explaining more.

-Prof. Dumbledore"

Harry shrugged, found his wand, tapped the package three times, and the package grew to the size of his Hogwarts trunk, if not larger.  He opened the package and found the note Dumbledore had mentioned and a set of ten keys.

"Dear Harry,

This is a trunk similar to Prof. Moody's in that it has multiple compartments.  This particular version has a total of 10 compartments, progressively getting larger, until the tenth compartment that is about the size of the Hogwarts Great Hall.  This is my birthday present to you, and I hope that it will replace your current trunk.  You will find this trunk more and more useful throughout the semester, and throughout your life.

Enclosed in the first compartment are your birthday gifts from your friends, and in the second compartment your books for the upcoming year (which Mrs. Weasly purchased for you in Diagon Alley using your Gringotts account, in addition to other school supplies that will need.)  Also enclosed in the second compartment is an order form and catalogue, in case there is something from Diagon Alley that you do not have yet.  Send this out with Hedwig with your next letter to the Order.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore."

Wow, thought Harry, Dumbledore got him something for his sixteenth birthday, and it is something practical that he needed.  Harry's current trunk seemed too small to last much longer.

Harry opened the first compartment and couldn't believe all the gifts inside, which was from "The Order."  It turned out to be a collection of all sorts of Dark Detectors, ranging from a Foe Glass to items he had never seen before.  He set these aside in his room and opened the next, from Ron, which turned out to be a collection of sweets from Honeydukes.  Hermione gave him another book "Spells for the Home," a book which had all sorts of spells to use to spruce up the home.  Inside, Hermione had written, "Thought this might come in handy someday." The Weasly family gave him a huge package filled with homemade goodies, and Ginny sent him a signet ring that had a very intricate design of phoenixes, snakes, and the words Harry James Potter around the edge.  

What startled him the most was an envelope labeled "From Sirius Black."  Harry thought that there must have been some mistake, but he opened up anyway.  Inside was a letter that said Sirius had made his godson his heir in case anything had every happened to him, and that the entire Black estate, including the Black house at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, and that all money had been transferred to Harry's vault at Gringotts.  Dumbfounded, Harry continued to read a note that the house deed would be transferred when Harry turned 17, and at the moment was in the hands of Dumbledore.

Harry set the note down, and began to cry over his loss, which finally hit him after reading that letter.  And he didn't stop crying for a couple of hours.

When Harry was able to regroup himself, he opened the second part of the trunk to look at his books for the upcoming year, and Harry immediately thought there must had been some kind of mistake.  There must have been no less than a hundred books in this compartment, and the compartment was big enough for him to actually walk in.

Harry immediately grabbed the note labeled "Book List" to verify all these were right.  He noticed that for each NEWT Prep class there was one main textbook, and anywhere from five to ten (for Potions) reference books.  His Auror and Apparition classes only required one book, his Animagi class had 3 that went with the class, his DA class had about 20, mainly reference guides that he recalled seeing in last year's Room of Requirement, and all the remaining books were for his last class about Voldemort's return.

Harry read a quick note from Mrs. Weasley, 

"Harry - Even though they have the Reference Books in the library, I thought it would be best to have your own copy since you could easily afford them.  I bought you some robes that magically adjust to your height, so you don't have to worry about getting anymore for a while.  All of the supplies for the classes, including potions ingredients, are in the third compartment.  Love, Molly Weasley."

Harry stepped out of the trunk to open the third compartment of the trunk.  At this sight of all of those supplies he immediately shut his trunk.  There were just too many of them to phantom.

Seeing enough, Harry decided to call it an early night.  He wrote a reply thanking everyone and saying he was OK but had enough reading to last the rest of his life, and sent it off with Hedwig.  He went back over to his bed and passed out.

For the next couple of days, Harry decided to organize his new trunk and add his old trunk's contents.  He decided to put the items he would use the most in the top level, the second level being for clothing and other items like that.  The third compartment he put all of the dark detectors and other magical gadgets he had acquired over the years.  In the forth compartment he stored all of his supplies for his classes (which was quite a task to move, even with magic), in the fifth compartment he set up a library of sorts.  He conjured up some bookshelves, a couple of desks, and some chairs (using Hermione's gift as a guide) and organized his books by subject and year.  In the sixth compartment he made up a bedroom of sorts, in case there was ever a need.  He made the seventh compartment into a training area similar to the Room of Requirement last year, and since he couldn't think of anything else to do with the last compartments he left them empty (after a brief look around.)

Even though he pleaded in latest note, he was not allowed to go to back to the Order over the summer.  Dumbledore himself told Harry that he could not leave until August 30th, in which he will arrive with Miss Granger and the three of them will portkey directly to Hogwarts to discuss the class they were to teach.  Dumbledore also refused his request to subscribe to the Daily Prophet, and if there was any dire news he would let Harry know, and that no Hogwarts students had been directly harmed and they were all still safe.

So, to pass the time, he started to read.  He began with the books for the DA and to practice the spells he learned.  He managed to transfigure a piece of parchment into a target that he could practice against (with the aid of one of his new NEWT Transfiguration textbooks.)

He found an interesting book titled _Spells that Should be Considered Dark but Aren't_ by Johanna Osmitilion, a book he found that was for his class on Voldemort.  He flipped through the book and found a spell that looks pretty interesting.  From his fifth compartment library, Harry went down to the seventh compartment (there was a magical staircase in the corner that he could use to go between levels, which started in the second compartment and goes down to the tenth.  At the second floor he was able to step in and step out of the trunk.

"_Cervix_" cried Harry from the seventh compartment of his magical trunk.  This spell was supposed to cause the caster to temporarily become much more physically strong than normal.  After about the fifth time (the spell required a wand movement he had never seen before) he was able to cast the spell correctly, and he felt much stronger than normal.  He climbed the stairs up to the sixth floor and ran over to the bed and was able to lift the bed over his head.  He quickly set the bed down as he could feel his strength starting to fade.  One of the nasty side effects of the spell, he read, was that although he was much stronger for that brief period of time, the strength can disappear without much warning and that whatever feat was performed would strain his muscles.  Soon after he lifted up the bed his arms began to ache terribly, and he heard the familiar tapping of Hedwig at the window.

Harry's strength was diminished greatly, but was still able climb up the stairs and walk over to the window, lifting up the window to let his owl in.  It was about a week after he got his trunk and his books, and Hedwig was bringing something that every student dreads, homework.

Inside Hedwig's package were pages and pages of homework that he had to complete.  He didn't have homework in all of his classes luckily, but all of his NEWT level classes required at least three essays each (NEWT Potions had 10 three-foot long essays.)

With only twenty days to do about twenty essays, Harry had to get started immediately.  He decided to do each essay for each class together, and he decided to start with the worst: Potions.  "Describe why and how _Mimbulus mimbletonia_ can be lethal when mixed with Wolfsbane."  Harry sighed, went to the fifth floor of his trunk, and headed to the Potions and Herbology sections, found the books he thought he would need, and began to read and write.


	2. Chapter 2 Journals, Essays, and Dumbled

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 2 - Journals, Essays, and Dumbledore

A couple of weeks later, with only one week to go until his promised rescues from Dumbledore, Harry had just finished yet another essay, this time for his NEWT DADA class, and it was an easy one: "Describe how to produce a patronous, who it affects and why, and the after-effects on the caster."  Harry found that he was able to get at least one essay done a day, maybe even a little more, and he only had about three or four left.

Harry sighed, pulled out a journal.  A week ago Harry had owled the Order with an order for a journal from Diagon Alley.  He had been writing down the many thoughts running around in his head ever since that fateful night in the Department of Mysteries where he saw his godfather be murdered by one of Voldemort's henchwomen, his cousin nonetheless.

"August 23rd

            I am still just so frustrated at myself that I let Voldemort manipulate me that way, and it cost Sirius his life.  Never again can I let anyone manipulate me in a malevolent way.  Dumbledore told me that it was all his fault, but he was just saying that to make me feel better I'm sure…I know its my fault because I let Voldemort use me like that.  

            I miss Sirius.  I miss Sirius.  I MISS SIRIUS.  Why couldn't have been me?  Its that damn prophecy's fault…I couldn't go with Sirius and finally go to my true family because Voldemort wouldn't have killed me.  He died because of a stupid prophecy made my a stupider person…if I hadn't heard Trelawny's prophecy back in my third year then I wouldn't have believed all of this.

            It seems like I am just never allowed to make any decisions for myself.  I choose to respect the Order's decisions at the moment because now that I know Voldemort has to kill me, or me kill him, that I need protection until I can learn enough to be a match for him.  A prophecy given by someone who I have no real respect for turns out to be the guiding force in my life, responsible for my parents death, my godfathers death…why me?  Why couldn't have been Neville for once, only happening to me?

            Its all my fault…its all my fault…ITS ALL MY FAULT!  Why couldn't have I been stronger and overcome my curiosity and overcome Voldemort's manipulations?  Why did I have to let five of my school friends be injured, not to mention members of the Order…and Sirius...none of them would have been harmed or killed if it weren't for my weakness and stupidity.

            It also seems like I am not allowed to live my own life anymore…Dumbledore and the Order made all the decisions about the classes for my next year…although I am not terribly upset at that.  I can understand why the Order wants to protect me for as long as they can, because in the end I have to kill Voldemort or he has to kill me, and in order to have any sort of chance I need to train up.  When we were by the fountain in the Ministry of Magic I froze up…I couldn't do anything when I had the chance.  I have to overcome my weakness this upcoming year, for the quicker I can the less amount of people can die.  And to top it all off, the guiding force of my life is a stupid prophecy given by someone who I have no respect for!  I wonder when an if I will ever be able to make my own decisions."

Harry felt like he should stop there, because he was beginning to get frustrated at what appears to be a hopeless future.  He decided to do the only thing that he could do in order to stop these thoughts from running rampant in his mind: "NEWT DADA: Describe the three unforgivable curses in detail and any means of countering them, and if you could make one more spell unforgivable, which would it be and why?"  At the rate he was having all of these depressing and frustrated thoughts, he would become even more Hermioney than Hermione.  

"Well," whispered Harry to no one in particular, "the first part of this essay seems to be easy enough, especially with _The Unforgivables and You _and for the second part I'll have to use that spell I learned earlier, _Odium_."

_Odium_, a spell he read about in _Spells that Should be Considered Dark but Aren't_ by Johanna Osmitilion, causes the target to hate itself to the point that it wants to cause physical harm to the subject.  The target then proceeds to mutilate itself, either with magic or muggle means, to the point of incapacitating itself.  Granted, Harry decided to teach himself the spell, because he couldn't think of any legal spell better to use on one Bellatrix Lestrange, but it was Dark magic, and Dark enough that his logical, less vengeful side said it SHOULD be an unforgivable, but its not for some reason.

As Harry began to wrap up this essay, a familiar tapping on the window demanded his attention: Hedwig, his owl, wanted in. Harry got up, let the owl in, and took the parchment attached to her leg.

"Dear Mr. Potter

Miss Hermione Granger and myself will be arriving in one week's time to depart for Hogwarts School via portkey in order to discuss the planning of "Dueling and the DA: Highly Advanced DADA."  Please be ready on the 30th at 9:00am, with some preliminary plans.  The class enrollment is currently only allowed to those who were members of the D.A. last year, but can be expanded after one term has passes based off of yours and Miss Grangers recommendations.

See you on the 30th.  You will not be arriving via the Hogwarts Express on September 1st, but will instead remain at Hogwarts.

-Albus Dumbledore"

Harry sighed, looked at the clock with read 11:34, and decided to fall into a nightmare filled, troubled sleep, which he was used to as every night of the summer it has been the same restless sleep.

During the next week Harry had a lot that he needed to finish. He had to finish three more essays, all for NEWT Charms, read the main textbook for Dueling and the DA: Highly Advanced DADA, keep writing in his journal in order to save his sanity, think about what on Earth he will be having the DA do for lessons, make sure everything was packed properly in his trunk, and read as much as he can in his textbooks.

Finally the day Harry had been looking forward to since the beginning of July: it was time to leave Number Four Privet Drive and head back to the only place he ever considered home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry had managed to inform his relatives, the Dursleys, he would be leaving on the thirtieth at 9:00am by leaving a note on his breakfast tray the other day.  Harry wasn't quite sure how Dumbledore would be arriving, so Harry cased a levitation charm in the trunk and brought it downstairs.  Periodically, Harry would hear Uncle Vernon burst out "Why haven't the bobbies found these dratted terrorists yet?  There was another attack last night, not too far from here." The Dursleys, who were in the kitchen enjoying breakfast, were purposefully ignoring Harry's presence in the living room.

That was, ignoring them until a loud "whoosh" sound came from the living room, and Prof. Dumbledore and Hermione appeared holding an old newspaper.  Well, that explains the question of how they would be arriving; they portkeyed.  

"HARRY!!!!!!!!" yelled an overly-excited Hermione.  She ran over to Harry and grabbed him into a big bear hug.

"Um, hi Hermione…you've grown a little over the summer"

"NOTHING compared to you Harry!  You must be nearly six feet tall now!  You are still way to skinny, but I'm sure it's those dratted relatives of yours…"

Hermione was interrupted by a loud coughing sound from behind her.  She turned around, and was face to face with Vernon Dursely.

"Those 'dratted relatives' didn't need to give him any more then he needed to survive Miss.  Now I suggest you get out of my house before I begin to act rashly."

"Now now Vernon, there is no need to act rashly.  We are on our way out as we speak.  Harry, please shrink your trunk so you may hold it on our Portkey to Hogwarts" the commanding voice of one Albus Dumbledore said.

Harry did as such, much to the surprise of all the Dursleys.

"I thought you weren't allowed to do magic outside of your…your freak school" said an astounded Petunia.

"No Petunia, did Harry not tell you?  That rule was lifted this summer in response to the dark times we are in.  Harry, Hermione, would each of you please touch the newspaper?  That's it, there you go, and here we go, on 1, 2..." spoke Dumbledore.

"Bye!" Harry told the Dursleys cheerfully.

"Three!" and they were off, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

A/N : I decided to end chapter two here as it seemed obvious this was where to end it.  Thanks for the reviews!  I wasn't expecting any and it did motivate me to get the second installment out today…Ill try to have the third chapter posted by tomorrow!  Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3 Back to Hogwarts

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 3 - Back to Hogwarts

After the all too familiar pull due to the portkey, Harry, Hermione, and Albus Dumbledore arrived in Dumbledore's all too familiar office.

"Professor…are there any other means of transportation that we could use from now on other than a portkey?" asked Harry meekly.

"Why?  Do you not like portkeys?" replied Dumbledore.

"Its just…its just…I mean I've only used portkeys four times, once was for the Quidditch World Cup, where the Death Eaters made their presence known for the first time since Voldemort's original disappearance, once was the end of the third task where I got sent to Voldemort and Cedric died, once a couple of months ago after the battle in the Ministry of Magic, and right this second!  Three times out of four horrible, horrible things have happened!  I just don't feel comfortable around them anymore."

"Harry, be reasonable," said Hermione, "The portkeys are not to blame for those occurrences!  Its just a coincidence!"

"Miss Granger is correct, Harry, in that they are only coincidences…"

"It doesn't MATTER what the facts are Professor Dumbledore!  I feel uneasy around them and I don't want to deal with them any more…"

"Mr. Potter you must let me finish before interrupting me.  As I was saying, Miss Granger is correct, but feelings are not always logical Miss Granger.  The mind works in ways that we can't even begin to fathom.  Harry, if portkeys make you uneasy, then you need not worry about them for now, although I would hope you could change your mind, as they could be very useful tools for you in the future."

"Sure Professor…now I have some questions for you before we get started that have been bugging me all summer."

"Ok Mr. Potter, you can ask away.  I will try to answer as many questions of yours as I can."

"Why haven't I had the chance to get the Daily Prophet or any other news over the summer?"

"Harry, you weren't allowed to get the news for a couple of reasons.  One, there is no reliable source of news left.  The _Daily Prophet_ was the closest, but after last year's fiasco we cannot trust the news publications anymore.  After all, news is a business; they want to make money.  We also couldn't risk any owl other than Hedwig to come close to Number 4 Privet Drive; it would have been far too dangerous.  As I mentioned, if there was dire news or any urgent news I would have found a way for you to know.  Voldemort and his Death Eaters have only been attacking Muggles for now.  Voldemort seems to be trying to figure out how to raid the new Azkaban, and is trying to recruit more followers.  I know that you had already heard about Voldemort's attacks on Muggles, and I assumed that the ideas of Voldemort trying to raid Azkaban and recruit more death eaters would come as no surprise."

"It doesn't professor, but it just feels like everyone is making decisions for me again like last year.  I know that you might mean for the best, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating."

"Harry, I know it's been frustrating for you, and I acknowledge the mistakes I have made in the past.  All I can hope is that you remain trusting of me.  Now that you are at Hogwarts, you can receive the _Daily Prophet_ or the _Quibbler_ if you'd like; I won't stop you."

"Ok Professor Dumbledore.  Just to let you know, although I am OK with the decisions you've made for me, including my class schedule, I am still angry about it.  That's the best I can do right now.  I have some more questions for you but I need some time to think about them."

"That's all right Mr. Potter; feel free to come in to my office any time with your questions.  Now, I know you and Miss Granger have much to discuss without my presence, so lets get to the point.  This morning, I want you to design a room that would be suitable for teaching the Dueling and the DA class, which will be taught twice a week.  I also want a basic lesson plan from you two for the first few weeks.  The class will be year around, with the option for students to join in at any term if they aren't already in the class."

"Professor, I've been wondering, what do we get out of teaching this class?" asked a still slightly angry Harry.

"Harry!  It is an honor to even be asked to teach!  Imagine all the possibilities it will open up for us," exclaimed an exasperated Hermione, "Not to mention all the future career opportunities it will open."

"Hermy," smirked Harry noting the look on Hermione's face as he used Grawp's nickname for her, "That's all good and well…but it looks like this year will be hard enough without the added responsibilities of teaching."

"Ah, I was wondering when you would ask.  You are enrolled for a class entitled 'The Return of Lord Voldemort: What to Do.'  Harry, you are the only student enrolled in that class and you will be the only student ever enrolled in that class.  Because of your assistance in teaching this class, you will be receiving specialized training at least once a week from not only Professor Lupin, but also Professor Moody, myself and other members of the Order if they are available.  Miss Granger," continued Professor Dumbledore acknowledging the disappointed look on Hermione's face "is to be allowed to take so many NEWT preparatory courses.  Normally you would be forced to choose seven of the nine classes you have signed up for, but that is your compensation for teaching."

"Are we able to assign homework and give tests?" asked an anxious Hermione.

"That it up to you and Mr. Potter.  Any work you assign you will have to grade, so keep that in mind.  I would suggest grading individuals based on how successful they are in performing the spells and maneuvers you will be teaching them, and only assign homework to those who haven't grasped the lesson by the end of the class.  Mainly it will be you two doing all of the work.  I will be available for suggestions on what to teach, and to show you how to perform and spell that you may have trouble with.  Feel free to make use of the library while here these two extra days Miss Granger, and the new password for Gryffindor tower is Padfoot."

"Ok professor.  Harry lets go up to Gryffindor tower so we can start planning right away!" Hermione exclaimed as she pulled Harry to his feet.  "Professor Dumbledore, we owl you the plans for the room and the lesson plans as soon as we can get them done!"

"Thank you Miss Granger.  If you need any assistance, feel free to ask myself or Professor McGonagall, and I have asked Dobby to make himself available if you need any refreshments while you are working."

"Thanks" replied Harry quietly as Hermione dragged them out of the office, and set out on their way to Gryffindor tower.

"Harry, I really do wish we could have corresponded more over the summer, but with the owl restrictions at the Order headquarters, I could only get you a copy of my classes for this term, and I had so much homework that I wasn't even sure I was going to be able to finish it…Hi Nick…anyway how are you doing with everything?  Did Dumbledore ever let you know about that prophecy bit?"

"Hermione…first things first.  Are you feeling any better after that curse?  I was terrified you would be permanently damaged."

"Oh Harry, I'm fine.  I still have to take one potion a week, but other than that I am perfectly fine.  Stop avoiding the subject…I saw the look on your face when he mentioned the new password for the tower."

"Hermione…its just so hard to accept he's gone.  He has been one of the most important people in my life for the past two years, and all it took was a stumble through an arch to take him away from me!"

"Harry…I'm sorry…I know what you must be going through…"

"HOW COULD YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH" roared Harry interrupting Hermione. "Now really…that was uncalled for." replied the Fat Lady softly, who's portrait they were now at.

"HOW COULD YOU KNOW?  What kind of cruel fate would make me lose the only parental figures I've ever known?  My mother, my father, and now PADFOOT!"  As Harry shouted this last word, the portrait swung open and Harry stomped inside, not bothering to wait and let Hermione go first as he normally did.

"Harry!  Don't you dare blow up at me!  You still have a parental figure…what about Dumbledore?"

"DUMBLEDORE?  The man wouldn't look me in the EYE all of last year!  He's been withholding information from me since I've met him!  Don't you think I have a right to know about what my future will be?  Don't I have the right to make decisions for my future armed with all the information available, and make the decisions for myself?  Hermione, you just don't understand.  I want our classroom to be set up just like last year's Room of Requirement with a Dueling Platform like what we had at the Dueling Club, and you can decide what we start off with!  I'm going to the boys tower to be LEFT ALONE."

"Harry?  What do you mean not having all the information available?  No one heard that prophecy that night, so no one was able to give you the information."

"Hermione!  Don't talk about what you don't understand.  I'll contact you when I am ready to talk." And with that Harry Potter stormed up to the Boys Tower, "6th Year" dorms, enlarged his Trunk, opened it and went to the sixth compartment so Hermione couldn't find him.

A/N: I am truly floored by your reviews so far!  Over sixty!  I'm dumbfounded!  I can't believe it!!  The reviews are what are motivating me to crank out these chapters faster than I normally would have…I really am speechless!  Thank you to all the reviewers!!!  And if you have any comments on the story, or something you thought would be different, let me know and if it's good I'll try to work it in the story!  Thanks again!!  And I noticed a review from fellow Ron Hater shdurrani…all I have to say to you is just wait.


	4. Chapter 4 Arrival of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 4 - Arrival of the Phoenix

Quick Note: I couldn't think of a good way to portray Harry's thoughts, so his thoughts are going to be _italicized_ and spells and books and such will be **bold.**

Disclaimer: It just dawned on me that I should use one of these.  I don't own any of these characters, the canon herself JK does…or maybe Warner Brothers does…maybe Scholastic…who knows?  Anyways, it's not me, and I am not here to make any money.

The next morning, after Harry spent the rest of the day in his trunk writing in his journal, reading some of the books for the DA, and his usual night of restless sleep in his trunk, he woke feeling a tad guilty on how he blew up at Hermione.  She didn't know about the prophecy, and its not her fault that neither Harry nor Dumbledore told her.

_I wonder who else knows what the prophecy is all about other than Dumbledore, Trelawny, and me_, _and I wonder if I should tell other people about it.  Maybe the less people know about it the fewer people will be harmed because of it.  I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of this stupid prophecy...too many people have been hurt because of it, and Sirius was murdered because of this stupid thing.  I guess I should ask Dumbledore before telling Hermione the details._

Harry, whose stomach gave a loud rumble of protest over not eating anything since yesterday's breakfast, decided it was time to get out of his trunk and find Hermione to offer some sort of apology.  He climbed out of his trunk and noticed Hermione sleeping on the bed that would soon become Harry's bed.

Well, at least she didn't go storming away, so either she cares about me and wanted to make sure I'm ok, or she wants to know what the hell I meant by 'Don't talk about what you don't understand.

"Hermione?  You awake?" asked Harry as he walked over to where Hermione was sleeping.

"Maybe…I'm asleep if you are going to blow up at me again, but I'm awake if you want to talk.  Just talk" replied Hermione.

"Cute Hermione.  Look, I am sorry I flew of the handle like that, but you have to understand that it's much easier for me to do that nowadays.  I mean, I've lost one of the most important figures in my life because I was too weak to overcome…"

"Harry!" interrupted Hermione, "It is not that you were too weak to do anything.  You have to learn to let others take responsibility for their actions.  Sirius could have stayed home that night; he didn't have to go to the Department of Mysteries.  Sirius's death is not your fault, its not anyone's fault but Bellatrix Lestrange and Voldemort.  I refuse to sit here and listen to you continually blame yourself!"

"Hermione…there's nothing you can say that will cause me to change this.  You don't want to listen to it, so I won't say it.  I reserve the right to be angry at odd times, to occasionally blow up at you.  I can promise you and Ron and anyone else this…I don't really mean the things I always say when I get angry.  If I really mean it, then I'll still be angry the next day.  If I get in one of these ruts just let me be alone to sort out all the thoughts in my head."

"Harry…I'm not quite sure that's the most healthy way of coping…"

"But it's MY way of coping.  Lets stop talking about this.  I need to talk to Dumbledore about something later, but first lets get some breakfast and talk about DA"

"Ok Harry…I'm going to run and get changed; lets meet in the common room to eat breakfast."

"Sounds good Hermy"

"Stop calling me that!"

Harry's stomach groaned again, ending the conversation.  Hermione ran out to go get changed, and Harry dragged himself down to the Common Room.

I wonder how to ask Dobby for some breakfast 

"Dobby?"

Harry heard a small *pop* and then saw Dobby had arrived.  

"Yes Harry Potter?  How can Dobby…be of service…to Mister Harry Potter?"

"Umm, Dobby," replied a clearly uncomfortable Harry.  Harry still couldn't get over Kreacher's lies of a couple of months ago, "Hermione and me need breakfast for two.  Can you bring us something?"

"Of course Harry Potter!" said Dobby as he left in a *pop*.

Hermione arrived just as Dobby left. "I asked Dobby to bring us some breakfast, now what all did you do yesterday while I was sulking in my trunk?"

Hermione replied, as breakfast magically appeared on the table, "I sent Dumbledore a sketch of the Room of Requirement from last year…it worked really well.  I made a few minor adjustments, but overall it's pretty much the same.  As for what to teach…I'm not 100% sure what to start with.  Could you pass the juice?"

"Sure Hermy.  As for what to teach, we should start off just reviewing what we covered last year.  That will give us probably a week to decide on what spells we should teach.  I've learned a lot of the summer, but they seem to be rather dark.  I learned a pretty cool spell called **Auxilium** that we could teach first.  It lets us build something of a mental help system."

"I've heard of it before, that sounds pretty good."

"I also think, Hermy, that we should cover one spell a lesson, unless everyone either seems to get it really quickly or no one seems to get it at all."

"That sounds good Harry…let finish up breakfast and then go talk to Dumbledore."

"Ok."  _Time to ask Dumbledore about telling Hermione, and Ron too, about the prophecy.  I think that it would be hard for me to keep this inside for much longer…but I have to be careful on wording it so Hermione won't get suspicious_.

Breakfast ended and Hermione and Harry walked to Dumbledore's office and gave the password of "Snickers." There was an even more unusual scenario in Dumbledore's office than normal…there were two phoenixes on Fawkes's perch: one he had never seen before and Fawkes.

The unknown Phoenix, at sight of Harry, flew over to Harry, sat on his shoulder, pecked Harry in the ear, and sang.

And somehow, Harry knew from this phoenix's song that her name was Corning, and that she had chosen to aid Harry in his battle of evil.

Corning burst into flames, while still on Harry's shoulder.  Although Harry felt no pain, it was more of a pleasant feeling, Hermione's gasp brought him out of his stupor.

All to which Dumbledore replied, "How Extraordinary."

A/N:  Really…you guys…almost 250 reviews for my first three meager chapters…I am truly blown away.  Honestly.  Wow.  I was expecting to only get about five…and for those who put my little story on their favorites list…all thirty of you…I'm speechless!  And this chapter I guess goes out to The Rat Killer…for having the same idea as I did about the Phoenix.  And as for the title…you'll see what the betrayal is all about in the future (its pretty much the only thing I've thought out at the moment…the story is writing itself.) I'll try to get one more chapter up by the end of the day.


	5. Chapter 5 Phoenixes and Prophecies

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 5 – Phoenixes and Prophecies (this is the updated one)

Disclaimer: It just dawned on me that I should use one of these. I don't own any of these characters, the canon herself JK does…or maybe Warner Brothers does…maybe Scholastic…who knows? Anyways, it's not me, and I am not here to make any money.

"Professor…did what I just think happened really happen?" said a breathless Hermione.

"Miss Granger, your knowledge surprises me sometimes. Not very many people can say that they have seen this occurrence. I, myself, have only seen it once, oh so many years ago. Tell me Harry, did you feel anything when the phoenix burst into flames on your shoulder?"

"No, Professor. In fact, it felt oddly reassuring. I didn't feel any of the heat that I would have expected."

"Then it is just what I thought. Tell me Harry, what is your phoenix's name?"

"YOUR PHEONIX?" shouted an astounded Hermione.

"She told me her name was Corning. For some reason I was able to understand something that she was singing, and that she has chosen to serve me in my battle against evil" said Harry ignoring Hermione's outburst.

"Mr. Potter, it looks like that we will be including some training for you and Corning in addition to your course on Lord Voldemort. Having a phoenix choose to serve you is a remarkable event. Right now, there are no more than three phoenixes that have chosen to be of service. I must say that it is not surprising one would choose you after watching your behavior with Fawkes over the past years," spoke Professor Dumbledore as he began to look for something in his desk, "and it seems that Fawkes definitely approves. This is the first time I can recall ever seeing two phoenixes interact before."

Fawkes had flown over to the newly reborn Phoenix and Fawkes began to sing Corning.

"Professor," said Hermione, "I was doing some reading over the summer about phoenixes and nowhere did they have documentation of two phoenixes interacting before."

"That doesn't surprise me at all Miss Granger. Two Phoenixes in the same century is a rare occurrence, two in the same room is unheard of."

"Ok professor, what should I do?"

"Mr. Potter," said Dumbledore handing Harry a book, "take this book on Phoenixes. The only other person I know of to have a phoenix gave it to me. Please read through this book throughout the day, so you can be prepared once school starts tomorrow. "

"Sure Professor."

"Professor! Is there any way I could read…"

"Miss Granger, your thirst for knowledge is insatiable. If you wish, after Mr. Potter has finished, you may borrow it to read as well. Now, moving on to more pressing matters, I assume you had something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Oh, yes professor," and Hermione decided to dive head first into all of her ideas, with a few of Harry's intermingled, and started speaking very rapidly to Professor Dumbledore. Harry, who wasn't really paying attention to Hermione babble on about the DA class, couldn't believe that he got a phoenix.

I got a phoenix! Merlin's Beard! A phoenix decided to help me out on my path to fight evil. I saw what Fawkes did for Dumbledore at the Ministry of Magic…he managed to swallow the Killing Curse! I wonder if there's any more about what a phoenix can absorb in the book Dumbledore gave me. I remember only a couple of things Dumbledore told me about phoenixes…very loyal, carry heavy loads…I remember when Fawkes lifted Ron, Lockhart, Ginny and me out of the Chamber of Secrets…and Fawkes took Dumbledore out of the office after he took the wrap for me for starting the DA. Wow…I'll have to get back to my room and conjure her up a perch…I wonder if I should keep her in my trunk or in my dorm…wouldn't it, well, freak out all my dorm-mates? I really should ask Dumbledore…

"…right Harry?" asked Hermione. _Whoops_, thought Harry, _I really should have been paying attention._

"Sure Hermione…Professor I have one more quick question about Corning…where should she stay? In Gryffindor Tower? In my room? In my trunk? In here?" asked Harry eagerly.

"Harry, I think it would be best to wait and decide after you get a clearer picture of what Corning would like. Fawkes decided it would be best to stay in my office, and he is the one who decided where to put his perch. From what I remember, Fawkes sat on my shoulder for the next day or two to see where would be best to set up his perch and did it all his own. So, don't worry about it quite yet."

"Ok, thanks professor."

Both Hermione and Dumbledore were looking at Harry like they were waiting for Harry to say something. Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eye, broke the uncomfortable silence with "Well Mr. Potter, since you appear reluctant to leave as Miss Granger suggested, do you have something to ask me?"

"Oh, yes I do professor." Merlin, how can I word this without Hermione knowing too much, in case he doesn't think I should tell her? "Err…"

"Oh Harry if it was something you wanted to ask Dumbledore in private, you should have just said so. Ill meet you back in the common room later. I want to put in some quality time at the library before everyone gets back."

"Ok Hermy…thanks."

As Hermione left, not without glaring at Harry for using her "nickname," Fawkes flew over to sit on his perch behind Dumbledore's desk and Corning, which due to the burning looked rather young and featherless, flew to sit on Harry's shoulder. 

"Ok Harry, how can I help you?"

"Professor, I want your opinion on this subject. I want to know your thoughts on telling others about the prophecy? It's driving me insane not talking to Hermione and Ron about it, and I need their friendship and their support. Keep in mind professor, I am merely asking your opinion for this, because I want your guidance. In the end, I feel that I can make the decision either way since it's my life, but I wondered your opinion."

"Harry, that was a wise comment beyond your years, and I thank you for asking my opinion. Harry, my first thought would be that this prophecy is dangerous. You saw the lengths Voldemort went to in order to attempt to find out what it said. As of right now, the only people who know the details of the prophecy are only you and myself. Even the Order does not know the details, only what it vaguely mentions. On the other hand, I can understand the need to tell your closest friends so you have a way to cope with the information. My advice you be to tell your best friends Ron and Hermione, if you feel the need, the basics of the prophecy without using the specific words. For instance, you could tell Miss Granger that the prophecy talked about the fall of Voldemort, and that you are the one destined to do it. That would be vague enough to hide the details of the prophecy, but contains the essential information" spoke Dumbledore sagely.

"Professor, I believe that I will follow your advice. I know it has been hard for you these past years and I thank you for allowing me to make the decisions dealing with my personal life on my own, although I will always ask for your advice."

"Harry, we both have a lot to learn in these upcoming years."

"Yes we do professor, and thanks for the advice. If you'll excuse me, Corning and me have some reading to do."

"Of course Harry, and congratulations on Corning"

And with Dumbledore's last comment, Harry left Dumbledore's office back to the Gryffindor Common Room. On the way, Corning was looking around, apparently trying to absorb her new surroundings, occasionally singing softly.

When Harry arrived in the common room, he sat down in one of the chairs by a window and Corning began to fly around getting used to the new surroundings. Harry thought that this would be the perfect time to start reading the book Dumbledore lent him on Phoenixes.

**So You've Been Chosen by a Phoenix, by Godric Gryffindor.**

**Revised by Nicholas Flamel**

I can't believe I am about to read a book written by Godric Gryffindor! It doesn't surprise me at all that he had a phoenix. Oh, this section looks interesting.

**You may be wondering why out of all people, a phoenix has chosen to serve you. History shows us that phoenixes choose only to serve wizards that fight for the Light. The first recoded phoenix chose to serve Merlin; the mythological references to a bird similar to the phoenix have no proof associated with them, although it is possible if not probable that Phoenixes existed pre-Merlin.**

**Phoenixes only appear to a new master at the beginning of dark times. At one point in history, the entrance of a new Phoenix into the world was seen as bad omen by various seers, although that belief seems to have diminished.**

Since a phoenix has chosen you, dear reader, you must be prepared to fight against the dark times. Phoenixes have only chosen those they believe they can aid in the battle against evil, and phoenixes only remain with their chosen ones as long as they remain committed to fighting against evil.

A noise from the entrance to the common room caused a pause in his reading, and after Hermione came into the common room, Harry decided that it would be the best time to tell Hermione so he could get it off his chest. He figured he could tell Ron tomorrow when he sees him.

"Harry! I still can't believe you got a Phoenix! I tried reading all I could in the library but there just wasn't that much information…you need to hurry and finish it so I can read it already!"

"Hermione…calm down. I want to talk to you for a minute" Harry said softly.

"Sure."

"Hermione, last night I blew up at you for a variety of reasons, and one was that you mentioned the Prophecy."

"I know…I also really shouldn't have commented that I knew what you ere going through…I was just saying that to make you feel better. I can't imagine loosing Mom and Dad…I'm so scared Voldemort is going to go after them" interrupted Hermione.

"I understand Hermione…but please let me finish…this is hard enough to say without interruptions. I know you were injured and couldn't see the final battle, but it was a scary fight between Voldemort and Dumbledore. I'll describe it to you later, but the prophecy was smashed as you had heard, so Voldemort was out of luck. After Dumbledore portkeyed me back to his office, he showed me in his pensive what the prophecy was all about. It turns out that Prof. Trelawny is the one who gave the prophecy, and Dumbledore was the one that heard it. One of Voldemort's minions overheard part of the prophecy, but not all of it…" Harry's voice had dwindled off.

"Harry…its all right…you don't have to tell me any more if you don't want…"

"Hermy, I have to get it off my chest. I heard the prophecy, and it talked about the only way for Voldemort to fall. It's me. I have to kill Voldemort or he will kill me, and there won't be anyway to stop him."

"Oh Harry…everything just seems to happen to you. I want you to know you can talk to me about anything at all, and I will stand by you no matter what…but I can see why you were upset…Merlin's beard…I'm even having trouble processing it. You said Trelawny is the one who gave the prophecy…are you and Dumbledore sure that its not, well, as fake as her normal ones are?"

"YES WE"RE SURE" yelled Harry. "Sorry for yelling Hermy, its just that there were some other details in there that have already happened, and also she gave it in the same manner that she gave the one predicting Wormtail's escape and the return of Voldemort." 

"Harry…are you going to tell anybody else?"

"The only other person that I will tell is Ron…you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. If this information got back to Voldemort…well it would be a nightmare, and your injuries and Sirius's death would be for nothing."

"Ok Harry, I promise I won't tell anyone."

Corning flew back to Harry's shoulder and began to sing, and it looked like she was about to cry.

"Thanks Corning…but I don't think your tears will be able to heal this type of pain."

**A/N and responses to some of the reviews**: Sorry for the grammar mistakes…I go to Georgia Tech, a school not known for it's high verbal ability. Corning got her name from one of my best friends (its her last name.) Yes, Dumbledore does switch from Harry to Mr. Potter…it's not a mistake. And I know I keep saying how floored I am by your reviews…but its true! Also…yes Lupin will be back as you will be seeing shortly…Sirius's death was unexpected, I swore up and down that it was going to be Wormtail killing Lupin with his silver paw. I think OoTP was one of the best books in the series, if not the best, because it shows Angry!Harry and if I was going through all of that I know I wouldn't have been a perky person. It takes quite a while to get over the death of a parental figure (speaking from experience) so he may lash out at random times (speaking from experience ;-) As for the password for Gryffindor Tower…Dumledore thought it would be a tribute…You can expect this to come up again. Luna will be making an appearance…I firmly believe JKR wouldn't have introduced her so in depth if she didn't play some role in the future…I just don't know what that role will be quite yet, same with Tonks. As for the inevitable question of romantic pairings…patience :-) My summer classes are wrapping up (had one final today, last one is next week) so I will have more time to work on this (only other commitment I have is my research job, but that won't interfere.) Thanks again for the amazing reviews! I swear I was blushing at the screen when I read them all! I swear I won't abandon the story until its finished (and with those reviews, of course I'll continue) and I really like stories that are at least 60K words as well…it'll just take a little time :-). Thanks Again - LeTimbo


	6. Chapter 6 Return of Ron, The Sorting

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 6 - Return of Ron, The Sorting Hat, and Classes

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these characters, the canon herself JK does…or maybe Warner Brothers does…maybe Scholastic…who knows? Anyways, it's not me, and I am not here to make any money…and I got a Beta reader who is new to the job…so forgive her and me for the mistakes :-)

Harry woke up the next morning, this time in his dorm room, and realized that it was Sunday, September First. Normally on this day he would be making his way towards King's Cross to board the Hogwarts Express.  Although he always liked the train ride to Hogwarts, getting caught up with his friends, he felt slightly relieved that we wouldn't run into anyone, like Draco Malfoy, that would only cause him to get angrier.

Harry looked at his watch, which he found hidden in his gifts from the Order of the Phoenix, and it replied to him "10:36…late sleeper aren't we" in Tonks's voice.  _Well at least I know whom the watch is from.  Harry glanced over next to his bed and saw Corning, sleeping with her head next to her wing on a perch.__ Well, at least I know where she's decided to stay for now.  As Harry was thinking about what to do until the Train came with all the students when he heard an all too familiar tapping at the window._

Hedwig.  What will she think of Corning?  Hedwig has been with my ever since my first day as a wizard, and she was a beautiful gift from Hagrid.

Harry walked over to the window and let Hedwig in, took the note from her, and watched as she flew over to Corning.

"Harry,

I thought I would let you sleep in for a while today.  Whenever you feel like joining me, I'll be in the library.

-HermIONE (not Hermy)"

As Harry looked up from the note, he noticed that Corning had woken up and was singing to Hedwig, who was hooting at Corning.  _The two of them must be working out for themselves on what to do.  How odd!_  Hedwig hooted once more, in what Harry could tell was a hoot of agreement, flew over to Harry's shoulder, nipped him on the ear, and took off for the owlery.  Corning flew over to Harry's now vacant shoulder and began to sing, and somehow Harry knew that Hedwig would still be of service to Harry and Harry's friends for regular letters, but if he had any packages or heavy objects that Corning would take them for Harry, but only Harry.

I have got to see what is up with Corning's songs.  Why is it that every time she sings to me I can understand her?  I guess I ought to keep reading that book Dumbledore lent me.  I think I left it in the trunk…

Harry climbed down to the bedroom in his trunk, noticed another perch just like the one by his bed, and began to read.

**The phoenix song, noted to inspire confidence in the Light and fear in the dark, is also a means of communicating to the one the phoenix has decided to serve.  It appears that only when the phoenix wishes to communicate to its companion that the companion understands, but the companion will not understand when the phoenix is singing to someone or something else.**

**It appears that phoenixes can communicate with any being capable of understanding communication, no matter how or what language they speak, and all beings are able to understand the phoenix song when the phoenix is singing to them.  Singing appears to be the only way phoenixes can communicate, although they seem to be able to understand any language or other means of communication.**

Well that explains why I suddenly can understand what Corning says every now and then.  I'll have to get used to that.  It's pretty odd that a phoenix would choose me, of all people.  I guess it's because of that damn prophecy again.  I bet this will just isolate me even more than my classmates.  I wonder if I ask Corning not to come with my to classes she will agree.  It would be such a big distraction…and I bet Snape would flip out at me.  Merlin, I bet Snape will flip out me for merely being in his NEWT Prep class, although the look on his face when he seems me in there will be worth it!

Harry continued to read…

**One of the most spectacular traits of the phoenix is its ability to be reborn.  Its cycle, which lasts approximately a month without any external interruptions, goes from burning day to burning day.  It is very hard to kill a phoenix, and only phoenix in recorded history has ever perished.  The phoenix belonged to Merlin, and while protecting Merlin from the dark forces of his time sustained a lethal curse and was immediately reborn.  However, this is the most fragile time in the Phoenix cycle, and Merlin's phoenix, Garrison, was attacked right after his rebirth from the first lethal curse.  The second curse caused Garrison to sing a final note, collapse, and vanish.  No one can be certain where Garrison went after he perished, but he never came back to Merlin's side.  All other recorded phoenixes left their masters only upon their master's death, whether it be natural or pre-mature.**

The rest of the morning, and into the afternoon, all Harry did was read the book on phoenixes, with a quick break to eat a late breakfast / early lunch that Dobby fetched for him. Around two o'clock, Harry finished up the book Dumbledore had lent him.

I can't wait until I start to train with Dumbledore to find out what he knows about Phoenixes…I am really lucky Corning chose to aid me, although I am still slightly unnerved by it.  I mean, all the wizards who have ever had a phoenix went on to defeat the dark of their day and they are all legendary. Does that mean one day I'll be a legend too?  I hope not.  I don't want to be remembered for anything after I die, just that there was a boy called Harry Potter who did some things, and that's it.  I better go find Hermione so we can talk about DA.

After changing into his Hogwarts robes, Harry walked down to the library to meet up with Hermione.

I hope I don't run into Nick anytime soon on my own.  I don't think I'd be able to talk to him the same way after our conversation last year.  I was just so upset and wanting some sort of hope I would be able to see him again.  I wonder if I should find him and apologize…

"Hi Harry!"

"Hey Hermione.  I finished with the book, so enjoy."

"Harry, I found out the first DA class is on Tuesday and the second on Thursday…I think we should plan out the first month or two…I have a feeling we will be way to busy to plan once classes start tomorrow."

"I agree…how about on the last Thursday class of the month we have some form of test to make sure people aren't forgetting the spells we teach them.  I still think we should do one spell a day, and whatever time we have left do some sort of physical training.  I think all of our reflexes could use a little work."

"Oh, that's a great idea Harry.  And on the weekend we could recommend to people that they go jogging around the Quidditch pitch or something.  I also think we should make this like the DA, with the same atmosphere, at least for the first term.  After people have the option of joining in the class we may have to change the rules a bit."

"Definitely Hermione. As for grades, I think we should mainly focus on completion.  I don't think the point of the class should focus on the grade, just learning the spells.  If they don't learn the spells, and can't past the end of the month tests, then we can talk to Dumbledore about what we should do, although I hope it won't come to that."

For the rest of the afternoon, Harry and Hermione planned out how their class should progress.  After they had the spells they wanted to teach, they asked Corning, who flew in about halfway through, if she would take them to Dumbledore.

Corning sang to Harry, "I think you should take them yourself.  I noticed the train you mentioned earlier off in the distance on my way here."

Hermione, who sat transfixed as she watched Corning sing, demanded "Harry! Tell me what she said!"

"She said, Hermione, that the train's arrived in Hogsmeade.  We should head over to the Great Hall so we won't miss the sorting.  Corning, I'd like to ask you to stay back in my dorm room for now.  I think having you at the Sorting would cause too big of a disturbance."

"I agree.  I will see you later this evening" sand Corning in reply as she flew away.

Harry stood up, "Well Hermione, what are you waiting for.  Lets go.  You can give those to Dumbledore down in the Great Hall."

The two students made their way down to the Great Hall, just in time for the arrival of the rest of the students.

"Hermione, go run that over to Dumbledore. I'll meet you at the Gryffindor table.  I'll be sure to grab a seat by Ron."

"Sounds good Harry.  Meet you over there."

Harry noticed on his way to the Gryffindor table that everyone seemed to be staring at him for some reason.  It looked like they wanted to ask him a question, but were forcing themselves to be quiet.  Harry simply shrugged and kept walking, as he had spied Ron sitting down looking around.

"Hey Ron," said Harry as he approached, "what's up?  How was the train back?"

"It was OK.  Draco annoyed me until I went into the prefect's compartments.  Although he followed me the sight of everyone else there made him stop.  How was your summer?"

"Mine was OK too.  I didn't get to do much other than read and homework while I was cooped up in Privet Drive.  I have a lot to talk to you about, but I can't do it here.  Lets talk tonight in my trunk."

"In your trunk?"

"Oh, I thought you knew.  I'll explain it later.  Here comes Hermione."

"Hey Hermione.  Long time no see!"

"Ron, it's only been two days.  Harry, Dumbledore said the plans look great and that he wants to come to the first class to observe."

"Sounds good."

"I don't know how I will be able to concentrate with Dumbledore looking over our shoulder.  Oh, Harry!  Did Ron tell you yet?  Both Ginny and Luna were made prefects!  Isn't that cool!  Mrs. Weasley was so thrilled!  Right Ron?"

"Yah Hermione.  She…"

"She was so excited!  I would be too if I were her.  Anyways, so Ron, did Harry tell you about Corning yet?  Its so exciting!"

"Corning?  Who is Corning?"

"Um, Hermione, I told Ron that I would tell him later."

"Oh, ok.  So Harry, I really can't wait till Tuesday.  I wonder what all the DA thinks about the class.  I would be worried if another student was teaching me, but since Dumbledore is also helping out I don't know how worried I would be.  I just can't wait to start classes!  You know Harry…I was looking through that book and…"

"HI GUYS, REMEMBER ME?" belted Ron to his two friends.

"Gee Ron, we knew you were there.  Just a lot has happened these past two days.  Oh look!  Here comes the first years." spoke an exasperated Hermione.

As Hermione pointed out, a line of about fifty students that looked so tiny they could break walked into the Great Hall led by Professor McGonagall.  McGonagall marched right up to the teachers table and stood next to the famed Hogwarts Sorting Hat."

**Last year at this same time**

**I warned of a great danger growing.**

**It has only grown worse,**

**And not many took my warning.**

**To bond with your fellow houses,**

**Traditional rivalries must cease.**

**Because an outside force will harm us all,**

**But not without help from inside, at least.**

**Wise Ravenclaws, you know better.**

**Than to give heed**

**To former house prejudices**

**Based off of a silly decree.**

**Loyal Hufflepuffs, you must**

**Look outside your own kind;**

**For loyalty within is a must**

**But loyalty to others must be on your mind.**

**Ambitious Slytherins,**

**You must overcome your fears,**

**Blindly following other's logic**

**Will only shorten your years.**

**Brave, Noble Gryffindors,**

**You cannot save the world alone.**

**Others have desirable qualities,**

**That you would normally not condone.**

**Last year three houses bonded,**

**But one was left apart.**

**You must work with all four**

**Or else you will lose your heart.**

No one was quite sure what to make of the Sorting Hat's new song, but gave it polite applause nonetheless.  As the sorting progressed, Harry felt someone staring at him from behind his back.  As he turned, he locked eyes with Draco Malfoy, who gave him a sneer worse than Harry had ever seen before.  Harry turned around, to watch Marie Pimpledragon be sorted to Ravenclaw.

Last year, the DA had only members from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.  The Sorting Hat must have been referring to us.  Its obvious the hat wants us to include Slytherins into the DA, but which Slytherins are trustworthy enough not to backstab us in the end with what we taught them.  We'll have to see who signs up for the class after the first term.

Some applause brought Harry out of his thoughts, apparently because the Sorting Hat had finished sorting the first years into their new houses.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts.  Normally, I would save my opening remarks until after the feast, but I feel that I should go ahead and do it now.  Students, with the return of Lord Voldemort, we have to be more careful than ever to protect ourselves.  Hogsmeade visits may continue, and they may not.  As of right now, the first Hogsmeade weekend for those third year and over, will be in October although I may change it as I see fit.  The Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students.  There is a reason it is called the Forbidden Forest, and it holds true now more than ever.  As of now, Quidditch will continue to be played, although this may change as well if we perceive any threat.  If you are interested in playing please contact your Team Captains, Ron Weasley for Gryffindor, Draco Malfoy for Slytherin, Cho Chang for Ravenclaw, and Peter Williamson for Hufflepuff, or Madame Hooch.  Curfew has been set for 10:00 unless given permission by a professor.  I am pleased to welcome back Professor Lupin, who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts along with Professor Moody, who both will be arriving tomorrow for in time for classes.  One last comment, before the feast begins, take heed to what the Sorting Hat told us.  He has been around longer than any of us, and has wisdom far greater than even I could imagine.  Now Enjoy."

"Wow…Congrats Ron!"

"Thanks Harry…now lets eat!"

After the feast, Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived at the Fat Lady, and as Hermione gave the password, "Padfoot," Ron said, "That's nice of Dumbledore to make that the password for Gryffindor Tower.  Kind of like a memorial."

"Are you KIDDING Ron?  I hate the new password.  That's all I need.  Every day when I walk in to Gryffindor Tower I get reminded of the only person I ever thought of as a father dying to try to prevent his godson fro making a STUPID MISTAKE, and who died because his stupid godson was too weak to stop from being manipulated" roared Harry.

"Harry!  Calm down.  Ron and I will change the password as soon as we can.  Now, go tell Ron about Corning, and about you-know-what.  I'll meet you guys down here at seven for breakfast.  Good night."

"Night Hermione" chorused Ron and Harry.

"Ok Harry, what do you want to tell me?  Not like, you know, I'm as close to you as Hermione is these days, but you can still tell me anything."

"Sure Ron," said Harry as they climbed up the stairs to the 6th year dorm.

"Harry!  Ron!  You'll never believe what's in our dorm!  It's a phoenix," said Neville as they walked into the room."

By Harry's bed, Neville, Dean, and Seamus were all admiring Corning.

"That's Corning, guys.  She decided she wanted to serve me a couple of days ago, so get use to seeing her around.  Corning, its ok, these are my friends.  You don't need to worry about them harming you or me.  Come on Ron, let's go into my trunk.  I've got something to talk to you about."

Harry heard Ron mutter something under his breath, but when Harry questioned Ron on it he replied, "Oh, it was nothing.  Lets go."

Ron followed Harry as he climbed into his trunk and down to the fifth compartment.

"This is the trunk Dumbledore got me for my birthday.  Now I've got something I want to tell you.  I told Hermione all of this yesterday, so I decided to tell you as soon as I saw you."

"It seems you and Hermione spent a lot of quality time together yesterday," said Ron in a voice whose tone Harry couldn't place, so he just shrugged it off.

"Well, we had a lot of planning to do for DA.  Dumbledore's going to let us teach it with him taking a hands-off approach.  Anyways, you remember for the most part about the Department of Mysteries last year.  Well, it turns out that although Neville accidentally destroyed the prophecy, it wasn't the only copy left.  Trelawny gave the prophecy to Dumbledore, and I can see why Voldemort wanted it.  One of Voldemort's minions overheard part of the prophecy, but not all.  What Voldemort doesn't know is that it pretty much comes down to either I have to kill him, or he has to kill me, and it seems like I will be the only one that can.  Not a pretty outlook overall.  You have to promise me you won't tell anyone about this...if it got to Voldemort…I don't want to imagine what would happen if he found out."

"Gee Harry…everything seems to happen to you.  Well, I won't tell anyone.  I'm tired…goodnight.  How in the name of Merlin do you get out of here?"

"Take the steps over there.  Night Ron, see you tomorrow morning."

_Hmm, Ron seemed to be acting strange.  I should have asked him how everything was going at home.  I really should have asked him about Percy.  Be sure to remember to do it tomorrow_ thought Harry.

The next morning, Harry woke up in his bed to find that it was almost seven o'clock, and that Ron had already gone downstairs to meet up with Hermione.

Gee…thanks for waking me up Ron 

Harry pulled on his robes, grabbed his supplies for the first day of classes, and met up with Ron and Hermione in the Common Room.

"Hi Guys.  Lets go!"

When they arrived at breakfast, McGonagall was starting to pass out their timesheets.  "Here you go Mr. Potter."

**Class Schedule for Mr. Harry James Potter**

**M,T,W,R,F stands for the days of the week in which you have the class.  Unless otherwise noted, classes meet every day of the week, excluding Saturday and Sunday.**

**8-9: NEWT Preparatory Potions**

**9-10: NEWT Preparatory Transfiguration**

**10-11: NEWT Preparatory Charms**

**11-12: NEWT Preparatory Defense Against the Dark Arts**

**12-1: Lunch**

**1-2: NEWT Preparatory Care of Magical Creatures**

**2-3: NEWT Preparatory Herbology**

**3-4: Animagi (M,W) / Dueling and the DA (T,R) / None on Friday**

**4-5: The Return of Lord Voldemort (M,W) / Occlumency (T,R) / None on Friday**

**5-6: Dinner**

**6-8: Practicums**

**Practicum Schedule:**

Monday: Potions 

**Tuesday: Herbology**

**Wednesday: Transfiguration**

**Thursday: Charms**

**Friday: Defense Against the Dark Arts**

**All Homework for your NEWT Preparatory classes is due during the Practicum, which is a two hour class dedicated to practical applications of what you will be learning during the daily classes.**

"Well Ron, do you want me back on the Quidditch team?"

"Why do you ask Harry?" asked Ron in between bites.

"Well, because if so, the only days I can be at practice are Fridays from 3-5 and on the Weekends," moaned Harry as he showed Ron his schedule, "Come on! They are going to cause all of us to have breakdowns within a month!"

"Ouch mate, you've got it bad.  At least NEWT Prep History of Magic is only three days a week and doesn't have a practicum."

"Harry!  Ron!  Have you seen our schedules!"

"Yes Hermione," groaned the two of them

"I can't wait to get started!"

"Figures," mumbled Ron under his breath.

"Ron, I meant to ask you this last night.  How are you doing?  How was your summer?"

"It was OK Harry…Mum was thrilled with my OWLs and with Ginny being names a Prefect.  Bill and Charlie are both doing well, and Fred and George's shop really took off.  Also, unbelievably, Percy had the gall to owl Mum and Dad.  He said something like, "Although you may have been right about Voldemort being back, it is still no excuse for your outrageous anti-ministry behavior."

"Wow.  I hope he makes up with them soon."

"Harry!  Ron!  Hurry up and eat…we don't want to start off the year being late to our first class.  Ron, you've got Charms, and Harry and me have potions.  We'll see you later Ron in Defense Against the Dark Arts," told Ron as she pulled Harry from his seat and pushed him down towards the dungeons, off to their first class, NEWT Preparatory Potions, with Professor Snape.

A/N and other ramblings:  I got a Beta reader everyone!!!  Her name is Annerimae.  As for romantic pairings…only thing Ill promise is no Harry/Cho…Cho's too much of a basket case…Harry doesn't need that kind of drama.  Also, when I am on AIM (although it may be rather rare) feel free to IM me.  I noticed the italics didn't some through on the last chapter…I'll be sure to double check that in the future.  Also, for those who were wondering, I'm a Hufflepuff with some Ravenclaw tendencies.  And lots have asked if I could email them when I update…do you want me to start up a Yahoo Group emailing list?  I can if enough people want me to.  Ron's Quidditch captain because, well, there was no one else to do it.  Harry isn't on the team technically, and Ginny's too inexperienced along with the two beaters. As usual…all your reviews astound me.  Keep 'em coming :-)


	7. Chapter 7 First Day of Classes

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 7 - First Day of Classes 

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these characters, the canon herself JK does…or maybe Warner Brothers does…maybe Scholastic…who knows? Anyways, it's not me, and I am not here to make any money…and I got a Beta reader who is new to the job…so forgive her and me for the mistakes :-)

Harry and Hermione joined the crowd of five or six students waiting to get into the Potions classroom. As they were about to enter the all too familiar potions dungeon, Harry heard a voice that if he never heard again, he would be a happy man.

"Harry Potter? Potter? You must be lost. This is NEWT Preparatory Potions...not remedial potions, Potter" spoke the cold voice of Draco Malfoy.

"For your information, Malfoy, I got an O on my NEWT, so stuff it," said Harry as he walked into the classroom, ignoring Malfoy's comments behind his back. As Harry sat down, he looked around the class. The only two Gryffindors in the class were Harry and Hermione, and there was only one Hufflepuff. There were three Ravenclaws, and the rest of the class of ten was all Slytherins.

As Harry was about to comment to Hermione about the lack of any fellow-Gryffindors, Professor Snape made his entrance into the classroom.

"Welcome to NEWT Preparatory Potions, the hardest class you will ever have to take behind NEWT Potions. Everyone in this class got an O on their OWLs, so I refuse to put up with any nonsense like I put up with the past five years. If you fail to maintain an O level, you will leave this class for Advanced Potions. My class will be set up where the daily classes are lectures and reading on how ingredients interact with others to form worthwhile potions, diving into the theory behind potions. The two-hour Monday praticums will be devoted to brewing potions or trying to fix potions that have gone awry. There will be bi-weekly tests to make sure this vital information is sticking in your minds. You will have at least one essay a week, if not more, on what the outcome of theoretical combinations of magical ingredients would be. Now, to make sure you dunderheads are in the right class...Bulstrode, Corner, Finch-Fletchley, Goldstein, Granger, Malfoy, Parkinson, Patil, Potter, and Zabini. Potter? Dare I ask how you managed to get an O in your OWL?  It remains to be seen if you earned it or just talked the examiners into letting you slide because of your fame. You, along with everyone else in here, better prove yourself worthy of the honor of being in this class, or you will regret it."

For the rest of the hour, Snape gave notes on the properties of lacewing flies, and why they are used in potions as all. As the lesson wrapped up, Snape reminded everyone to meet back here for the Potions practicum, where they will be diagnosing potions from other classes in which lacewing flies were used inappropriately, and they had better read up on the usage of lacewing flies before they arrive or else fail the practicum.

Harry and Hermione gathered up their supplies and made their way to McGonagall's class. "Oh Harry, wasn't that an interesting class?"

"Actually, yeah. I think that learning why those ingredients mix with each other and make a potion will help me understand where I kept going wrong with my potions last year. It's just too bad we were the only Gryffindors in there...and imagine how Justin feels being the only Hufflepuff! I'm just glad you are in the rest of my NEWT Prep classes or I'd go insane."

"I know. Hi Seamus! Are you in NEWT Prep Transfiguration too?" asked Hermione as she found a seat in McGonagall's class.

"Aye 'Ermione. Dean also made it in. He should be arriving any minute."   
It looked like this class would have a couple more in it than Potions. Four Gryffindors, four Hufflepuffs (Susan, Hannah, Justin and Ernie), three Ravenclaws (the same three from Potions), and one Slytherin: Malfoy. 

"Good Morning class, and welcome to NEWT Preparatory Transfiguration. I am glad to see those who excelled in Transfiguration were all able to make a high enough score on the OWLs to make it in this class. Everyone here either received an O or an E, and I expect all of you to keep that level up. This class will be set up a little bit differently than your classes before. During weekday classes we will be learning the theoretical side and also how to perform various transfigurations, and, during praticums, how what we've learned can be practically applied to real life situations." 

The rest of the lesson, a review of the topics they had covered last year, seemed to pass by fairly quickly. Before Harry knew it, it was time to head to NEWT Preparatory Charms, the largest class he had so far. 

It seemed that the new additions to the class were Lavender, Pavariti, and a couple of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, but most of the Transfiguration and Potions classes were also in this one. Professor Flitwitck's class would be used for learning new charms, with the practicum looking into the theory, ethics, and practical applications of charms.

Finally, the last class before lunch and the first class Harry and Hermione have with Ron:   
NEWT Preparatory Defense Against the Dark Arts.   
"Hey Ron...how have your classes been so far?"   
"Intermediate Charms seems easy. I'm not too worried. What about you?"   
"Oh Ron, the classes are amazing! I can't wait to get started more in depth on the coursework. Harry, when are you planning on reading up on lacewings for Snape's class?"

"At lunch. Lets take these seats. Anyways Ron, it seems like it'll be a lot of work...I only hope I can stay caught up in all my classes."

"Sucks, Mate. This class is the smallest one I've had so far today..."   
Harry looked around. There was the same amount of people in this class as in their Charms class. "Its one of our larger ones. I wonder how Lupin and Moody are going to split up the teaching...Hey Neville...and thank Merlin Malfoy isn't in the class! And the only Slytherin is Zabini!" 

"Be quiet you two, here comes Professor Lupin."   
"Good Morning Class, as I am sure you remember, I am Professor Lupin. I will be teaching you the theory behind Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Professor Moody will be in charge of your practicum, which will explore the practical applications of what we will be learning. If you fail to maintain at least an E level in the course, you will be asked to leave at the end of term, although I hope all of you will stay up to par. To start off, what do you think makes a spell be considered dark or evil? Miss Granger?"

"A dark spell is a spell that causes harm to others." With Hermione's answer, Harry raised his hand.   
"Yes Mr. Potter?"   
"I disagree with Hermione's answer. I think that almost any spell, when used for the right purposes, could be considered a good, or light, spell. On the other side, any spell, when used for evil purposes, could be considered a dark spell."

"Mr. Longbottom?" Lupin asked to Neville, who had his hand up.   
"But what about **Cruico**? Could you think of any justifications for that to be used in a light or good way?"   
At this, Blaise had her hand up. "Do you have a response to Neville's question Miss Zabini?"   
"Yes, Professor. What if a wizard or a creature stronger than you was attacking you, and the typical stunning spells aren't working?" 

"But Miss Zabini, surely a spell other than **Cruico** would suffice?"   
"Professor, I agree with Blaise," spoke Harry, much to the surprise of everyone but Blaise. "Last year when I was under attack by the Death Eaters, the stunning spells just weren't working, and they kept attacking us. At one point, the only way I could think of incapacitating my opponent, Bellatrix Lestrange, was trying to use **Cruico**." Harry paused to let all the gasps quiet down. "Granted, I couldn't cast it properly, and it didn't work, but when I was in fear for my life I had no choice. I'm not defending the curse; by all means I don't think it's a wise one to use. But, to me, the spell itself can't be light or dark, it's the intent of the spell."

"Interesting observation, Mr. Potter. The spell itself has no orientation by itself; it's the spell caster who makes the spell used for a light or a dark purpose. I want everyone to write an essay, you can make it however long you want but please no longer than one roll of parchment Miss Granger," said Lupin with a smile, "on what kinds of spells, if any, are inherently dark, and how a spell can become dark. Now, lets review a little of what you were supposed to have learned last year, although I doubt Umbridge taught you very much."

For the rest of the lesson, Lupin gave notes on what was covered last year, or at least, what should have been.  As Lupin finished wrapping up, he asked Harry if he would stay after class for a little bit.  "Sure Professor.  Ron, Hermione, I'll meet you in the Great Hall for lunch.  What do you want to talk about?  Was it my response earlier in class…because I'll explain more in my essay."

"No, Harry, although I admit I was curious about your answer.  I was wondering how your summer went, and how, well, you're recovering from the end of last year."

"Oh, well Professor,"

"You can call me Remus or Moony outside of class Harry."

"Oh, thanks.  Moony…I miss him."

"I miss him too, but he would want us to move on and keep fighting."

"But we'll never know for sure, because he isn't here to tell us what he would want."

"Harry…if you ever need to talk about anything, either come and find me or send me an owl.  I want to be here for you, if you'll let me."

"Look, I'd hate to rush and all, but this is one of the few breaks I have all day, and I've got to study for tonight's Potions practicum.  I'll owl you or send Corning if I need anything, and I'll see you tomorrow.  Bye!"

"Harry," called Professor Lupin as Harry took off for his dorm so he could grab one of his potions book, "who or what is Corning?" but Harry didn't hear him.

Harry joined up with Hermione, who was reading her Potions book just like Harry was, and Ron, who seemed to be trying to have a conversation with Hermione.  _Ron should know better by now…when she starts to read there's no stopping her_.

"Hey guys…make room."

"Oh, not you too!"

"Ron, if we don't read up on the properties of lacewings, then Snape will fail us!"

"Yah Hermione, not to mention kill us. So, how was your first morning of classes?" asked Harry as he took a bite of his lunch.

"It was OK.  Intermediate Charms was pretty easy…although I'm the only Gryffindor in there besides Neville, and the rest of the class is filled with Hufflepuffs and Slytherins.  I really liked DADA, although this discussion at the beginning of the class was odd.  Do you really think **Cruico** can ever be used for good?"

"Maybe.  I'm going to write my essay after Potions…I'll let you know what I think after I write it."

"But, you agreed with a Slytherin!"

"Did you hear what the Sorting Hat told us last year and not to mention this year?  We can't assume they are evil just because they are in Slytherin!" exclaimed an exasperated Hermione.  "If you guys need me, I'll be in the…"

"Library"

"Yes, Ron, the library.  Unlike some people, I want to pass my classes.  I'll see you in Care of Magical Creatures."

"Ok"

For the rest of lunch, Harry alternated between chatting with Ron and reading about lacewings.  He was really getting into how lacewings can be used to thicken potions when Ron interrupted him "Harry, we've got to get down to Hagrid's or we'll be late.  Lets go."

NEWT Preparatory Care of Magical Creatures and NEWT Preparatory Herbology passed without much incident, although the trio had a couple of more essays to finish.

"I'm just glad Hagrid's class doesn't have a practicum with it."

"Me too."

"Harry!  Wait up!"

"Hey Neville…you were really awesome back there in Herbology…if I need any help with the essay, mind if I ask you?"

"Sure!" replied a blushing Neville, "What are your next classes?"

"Ron and I have NEWT Prep History of Magic, and Harry's got that Animagi class.  I wish I could take that too!"

"Oh, good.  Harry, I'm in your next class, and we are the only Gryffindors in it!"

"Oh, it'll be fine, Neville.  Lets go…McGonagall will have our hides if we're late.  Bye Hermione, bye Ron.  See you guys at dinner!"

"Welcome to Animagi and Metamorphmagi class.  You have been asked to enroll in this class because you have demonstrated some previous ability to become an Animagi, Metamorphmagi, or both.  Today Tonks, who is a noted Metamorphmagi, will assist me.  She will help to instruct any Metamorphmagi among us in the future lessons.  To start class, we will take you into the room behind me to determine what Animagi forms you may have, or what Metamorphmagi abilities you may have.  Please refrain in discussing your results until everyone has gone."

One by one, she called up the class.  First, Hannah Abbott went with McGonagall and Tonks, and she came back beaming.  She was followed by Corner, then Goldstein, two of the Ravenclaws that Harry seemed to be having several classes with, then it was Neville's turn, followed by Malfoy's, Ernie Macmillian's, then at last it was Harry's turn, second to last in the class.

"Harry Potter, if you'll follow me please."

Harry got up and followed McGonagall and Tonks into the side classroom.

"Hey Harry!"

"Hey Tonks."

"Bet you are surprised to see me here!"

"Well, I got my hopes up once I saw the class title."

"Potter, Tonks, enough talk.  You two aren't supposed to know each other yet."

"Well Minerva, I'm bored.  There haven't been any Metamorphmagi yet!"

"Enough! Potter, could you please touch the Scroll of Marshall.  This will enable us to see what Animagi forms you may have, if any at all."

Harry touched the scroll, and immediately saw the form of a really large snake.

"Oh Harry…that's a…"

Tonks didn't need to finish that sentence.  Harry knew what it was…it was a Basilisk.  Just as he recognized the shape, the Basilisk turned into something else…it looked to be a pigeon.

"A pigeon?  Well at least we'll be able to train that one in front of everyone else.  I'll have to talk to Albus about what to do with the Basilisk."

"Ok Harry," started Tonks, "its time to touch something else this time…the Orb of Anastasia.  This will show all of us what, if any, Metamorphmagi abilities you have.  Before we start…have you ever magically altered your appearance before?"

"Well, once when I was really angry at my Aunt for cutting my hair, I was able to grow it back overnight."

"Why didn't you tell me that last year Harry?!?  Come on, touch the orb."

The Orb of Anastasia glowed a bright lime green, and Tonks let out a cheer.

"Awesome Harry!  Lime Green means you've got a moderate ability for being a Metamorphmagi…only the strongest, most gifted Metamorphmagi get electric purple!  Congrats!"

"Yes, well done, but its time to rejoin your classmates."

"Sure professor"

Stunned, Harry walked out to sit back down next to Neville.

"Miss Zabini, if you'll please follow me"

A short while after Blaise went back to join McGonagall and Tonks, he heard Tonks let out another "Whoop" of excitement, and Blaise came back looking rather pleased.

"Well Class, everyone in here is an animagus, although there are only two who have any Metamorphmagi ability.  Tonks will be here once a week to work with you, Mr. Potter and Miss Zabini.  As for your animagus abilities, I would like you to separate out into what type of animal you are.  Birds and other fowl over here, cats and dogs over to that corner, large mammals over there, and other animals over in that last corner.  You will be training with those who are in your same group."

Harry got up to walk over to where McGonagall was.  _Since she didn't call "Deadly, Magical Serpents, I guess I should go over with the birds_.  He was joined by Blaise, and that was all.

"Potter."

"Call me Harry.  We've got enough classes with each other after all.  Hey Blaise.  Nice hair…did you color it red over the summer?"

"Color it?  No Harry…that's one of my Metamorphmagi abilities…I learned how to change it over the summer…but I like the red so I'll stick with it for now."

"Cool.  So what type of bird are you?"

"I'm a blasted parakeet!  A parakeet!  Why couldn't have I been something cool like an owl or an eagle?"

"Hey…at least parakeets are interesting!  I'm a pigeon!"

"Hah!  A pigeon!  That's classic Harry!"

"Well glad you approve."

"Hey, Harry," whispered Blaise, "thanks for agreeing with me back in DADA…I don't think I could have argued that well."

"No problem" whispered Harry back.

"Class…that's all for now.  You can leave early.  Mr. Potter, would you mind waiting back for a minute?"

"See you in the potions practicum Potter"

"'Kay. Bye Blaise.  What do you need Professor?"

"As you are the only one in our class to have two Animagi forms, you are going to need to do a little extra work. Normally, you wouldn't have this class on Friday, but I'm afraid that you will need to be in here on Friday's as well."

"But Professor…"

"I'm sorry but you must.  Once you are able to transform into a basilisk and back within a second, you will have to keep up with the Friday classes.  Now I don't want you to be late for Professor Dumbledore, so off you go."

Great.  Now the only time I would be able to practice Quidditch is one hour a week, and on the weekends.  Oh boy, Ron is not going to like that at all.  Am I even going to be able to play?  Should I?  I know Hermione wouldn't want me to…but its one of the few things I can still enjoy without many problems…although I did manage to do OK last year.  Well, no use in worrying about it until I can talk to Ron.

"Mr. Potter, good of you to show up on time.  I've asked Professor Lupin to work with me today.  First up, I would like you to call Corning to you."

"How Professor?"

"You should know it by now.  Just think about it for a minute…"

Corning…would you please join me

And Corning immediately zoomed into the room, looking like she was on fire.

"Very good Mr. Potter."

"Harry?  You got a phoenix?"

"She chose to serve me."

"Ok, Mr. Potter, now I would like you to…"

For the rest of Harry's The Return of Lord Voldemort class, Dumbledore taught him everything that Fawkes had done for Dumbledore, and how to ask Corning to do the same for Harry.

"Now, if I'm not mistaken, its time for dinner.  I will meet you in the Great Hall.  I must speak with Professor Lupin first."

After talking to Hermione and Ron about their classes, Harry sat down to eat as fast as he could so he could read up on lacewing for the Potions Practicum coming up right after dinner.

"Hey Pigeon Potter"

"Heya Parakeet."

"Reading up on lacewings?"

"Of course"

"Pigeon Potter?  Parakeet?  What are you two talking about?" asked a befuddled Ron, "And Blaise, the Slytherin table is over there."

"Oh Ron, be nice.  Harry, are you talking about your Animagi class?"

"Yes. It turns out that one of my animagus forms is a bloody pigeon!"

"Wait, one of your forms?"

"Oh yeah, see, I've got two.  The other is a basilisk, and I can't practice that one in front of the whole class now can I?"

Blaise laughed, "Guess not.  Anyways, see you in Potions."

"Bye Parakeet"

"Harry!  You have two animagus forms?  That's really rare!"

"I bet one of them I got because of bloody Voldemort.  Could you pass the rice?  Thanks!  So Ron, I've got some bad news."

"Me first…you know how you talked about when you could practice?  Well, the only time I can on Fridays is from 3-4 because I've got Astronomy from 4-5.  Anyways, if that's the only time you can practice during the week, I don't know what to tell you…because I signed up our team for 3-4 on Fridays, Sunday afternoons, and twice a week at night, and I can only let you miss one practice a week.  It's only fair to the other players."

"Well FINE Ron…I can't practice from 3-4 because that's when I've got training with McGonagall, and I've got bloody praticums every night of the week!"

"Uh…sorry mate…but my hands are tied."

"Yah I bet they are.  Come on, Hermione, we're going to be late for Potions."

"Oh Harry," said Hermione as she hurried to catch up with Harry storming out of the Great Hall, "Sorry about Quidditch, but it may be for best anyways with all the work you have this year."

"Hermione, I don't need to you tell me that it's a good thing I can't do the only thing I seem to enjoy anymore, I need to you tell me that it sucks, its an injustice, etc."

"Oh, well. I just can't do that…good luck in the practicum!  I doubt Snape will let us work together."

"You too.  I'll meet up with you in the common room later if one of us finished before the other."

"Sounds good."

Hermione was right about Snape not letting the two of them work together.  Hermione got stuck with Malfoy, and Harry had to work with Blaise.

"Looks like we're going to work together in every class we've got together Pigeon"

"Yah Parakeet"

"Ok, so lets look at this potion.  It's supposed to be purple, but its neon yellow.  And Snape said that all the problems with these potions were because of improper lacewing usage…now how to fix this?"

The rest of the practicum went on like that, until they had finished 7 potions.  Harry and Blaise were the first ones finished, and were on their way out when Snape assigned more homework "Potter and Zabini: Write up why you added the quantities of lacewings you did and why it worked."

"Sure Professor.  Harry - lets meet up tomorrow to work on the essay.  How about after the Herbology practicum tomorrow?"

"Ok…see you then."

All in all, it was a busy first day back.  I hope not all the days are going to be like that, or I'll need some professional help!  Tomorrow we've got the first DA class…I need to make sure to talk with Hermione about the exact plans tomorrow…now I guess I should start work on the DADA essay that's due on Friday.

A/N: I refuse to tell you what the title means yet and what "Phoenix" performs the "betrayal."  But I did decide that if I manage to get up to 500 reviews (which will, well, dumbfound me,) I will answer any one question, including what the title means, via e-mail…so be sure to register with FF.net and sign in with your reviews so I can find a way to contact you if its you…and no cheating! (aka, signing 10 reviews in a row to make sure you get it)


	8. Chapter 8 New Classes and a New Ministe

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 8 - New Classes and a New Minister?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these characters, the canon herself JK does…or maybe Warner Brothers does…maybe Scholastic…who knows? Anyways, it's not me, and I am not here to make any money…and I got a Beta reader Annerimae (also her AIM name), so give her a shoutout if you want to complain about the grammar.  

"Hi everyone...and welcome to the first class of Dueling and the DA. Professor Dumbledore has asked to speak at the start, so if you'd like Professor, you can start," spoke an excited Hermione. 

For the most part, the first part of today was the same as yesterday. Harry was up late last night working on his DADA assignment and his first Herbology essay, which was due later today in the practicum. Even though Harry was still very angry with Ron about not being allowed to practice with the Quidditch team, thereby not being allowed to play for the Gryffindor team, Harry tried to be civil to him throughout the day though it got harder and harder as the day went on. 

"Thank you Miss Granger. Many of you have wondered why I have decided to make DA an official class and not an organization, like the Transfiguration Team. In the dark times, we never know when me may need to fight for our own survival. Last year, members of the DA went on to tackle Death Eaters themselves in a battle at the Ministry of Magic, and without this training I doubt they would have been nearly as successful. Right now, this class only consists of members of last year's DA, but I have made the decision that these lessons are so essential to open up registration after the current term is over.  Mr. Potter and Miss Granger will be conducting the day-to-day business of the class, although I will help every now and then, when I am needed.  I expect all of you to respect Mr. Potter and Miss Granger as you would any other teacher.  Enjoy the class, and now I will leave you to the care of Mr. Potter and Miss Granger."

"Thanks Professor," replied Harry as Dumbledore left the classroom.

"OK everyone…for the first class we're going to take it easy and just review what we covered last year.  Everyone, pair up, and practice the disarming spell."

The whole lesson, dedicated to reviewing spells they learned last year, went better than both Harry or Hermione could have expected, and by the time the class was over, everyone was caught up and ready to move on.

"Next lesson we will move into new spells, so we'll see you on Thursday."

Harry left the classroom on his way to Dumbledore's office to continue his Occlumency lessons from last year.  As he approached the all-too familiar entrance, Harry almost ran into Snape as he was leaving Dumbledore's office.

"Sorry Professor," replied Harry.  Snape merely nodded and moved on.

"Come in Harry.  How was your first class?"

"Great, we didn't have to assign any homework or anything.  Professor? Why do you think I need to continue Occlumency?  I mean, my scar really hasn't hurt me all summer."

"Harry, that doesn't mean that it won't.  Occlumency can be useful even beyond using it to prevent Voldemort's manipulations.  It is indeed a rare gift, and you must train up in order to be able to fully use it.  Now Harry, the first step is being able to completely clear your mind.  One of the books in your trunk is all about the art of Meditation.  I would like you to read this book and practice clearing your mind for at least a half hour a day.  Now Harry…I must end this lesson early.  There is a matter with the Order that I need to tend to.  Please have the book read. I would like you to keep a journal of how your progress is coming along and report back to me in a weeks time."

"Sure Professor."

"You can go ahead and leave now for an early dinner Harry.  I am sure you have plenty to do.  I hope I will be able to see you tomorrow for your class, but if I am otherwise occupied, Professors Moody and Lupin will be on hand to help."

"Ok Professor Dumbledore.  I'll see you tomorrow."

"One last thing Harry," spoke Dumbledore, as Harry was leaving his office, "I am glad to hear that you have taken the sorting hat's wisdom to heart."

After dinner, with Hermione and Ron talking about their History of Magic homework and Hermione talking about her NEWT Prep Ancient Runes class, the trio had their first Herbology practicum, where they began to catalogue in special notebooks assigned by Professor Sprout all the plants in Greenhouse 1, with drawings, labels, information, etc.  As soon as Sprout announced the Practicum was over, Harry excused himself from Ron and Hermione and went towards the library to meet up with Blaise so the two of them could work on their Potions homework from yesterday's Practicum.

"Hey Pigeon"

"Hey Parakeet."

"Lets get started on Potions, because the sooner we finish the sooner we can talk about DADA.  I've got a whole bunch of questions for you on DADA.  I went to Snape and got us each a waiver excusing us form curfew tonight…although he seemed somewhat hesitant to give me one.  Anyways, for potion A, why do you think the lacewings worked?"

For the next hour, Harry and Blaise made their way through their Potions assignment.  As soon as they finished, a relieved Harry asked Blaise, "So your questions about DADA…I'll try to help…what's up?"

"I'm curious to hear what you have to say about spells like **Cruico and other dark curses, and why you don't think they're dark.  You're a Gryffindor…you aren't supposed to think like that."**

"  First off…a spell is an inanimate object.  I have a hard time believing that inanimate objects can have any sort of inherent connotation.  A wizard has to give it one.  I'll admit, it is hard to find a good way to use **Cruico** but with the other unforgivables it's easy to find a way to use them for the light."

"Oh?  How could controlling someone be good for any means?"

"Most of the people who have ever used the Imperious Curse have used it to control people in a malicious way; to make them do their bidding.  If you were being attacked by someone and you couldn't stop them with the temporary stunning spells, wouldn't it be better to make them not attack anybody than to be attacked?"

"Pigeon…that sounds like a Slytherin motto."

"Well, the sorting hat almost put me in Slytherin.  I just don't buy that there's any spell that is inherently good or inherently bad.  Even a spell, like a Cheering Charm, that seems like it could ever be used for evil could be…what if you cast that on someone continually and never let it off!  That'd be torture!"

"I guess it would…never thought of it like that.  I'm still surprised that a Gryffindor, of all people, is talking like this!"

"Its time that we start putting these house stereotypes to rest.  Merlin knows what Ron and Hermione will think when I tell them I came to the library to work with you, a Slytherin.  I just don't see what the big deal is anymore.  Evil people come from all houses…"

"You made the comment about spells can't be made dark or light, but what about people?  Can people be inherently good or evil?" interrupted a questioning Blaise.

"Well…kinda.  I think that if you were only a product of your environment, then I would have turned out to be an evil little monster that is always going to attack Muggles…but I'm not.  I think that there is no absolute good or evil…but there are some who come pretty darn close.  I'm not sure what makes Voldemort…or Bellatrix Lestrange…so evil, but I can't deny that they are.  Those evil people give the spells they use an evil connotation, whether it be deserved or not."

"All right you two…the library is closing.  Finish up and head back to your common rooms," interrupted Madame Pince, the Hogwarts librarian.

"Ok Madame.  Harry, I'll see you tomorrow in class.  Thanks for talking with me."

"No problem Parakeet."

"Journal Entry: September 3rd

So far, classes seem to be going better than expected.  Ron seems to be acting more distant than normal, and he's not letting me be on the Quidditch team because of all my classes.  I'm still angry with him about it, but I can understand his reasoning…and I was beginning to wonder how I would fit it in my schedule.

One surprise of note is that Malfoy and his goons seem to be ignoring me as much as possible as of late.  If all it took was getting their fathers arrested, then I should have done it a long time ago.  On the subject of Slytherins…Blaise and I seem to be getting along fairly well, so that's good.

            Everyone seems to be a little on edge after Voldemort's public return.  Everybody seems to be faking politeness towards me in my classes…and it's beginning to get annoying.  I wish everyone would just treat me like they would a normal kid my age.  Its almost midnight now…I've got so much homework that I've got at least another hour to go.  This was my break before starting on my Transfiguration essay that's due tomorrow."

The next few weeks passed without much incident.  All of Harry's classes seemed to be going fairly well, although he soon began to stand out in one class in particular: Animagi and Metamorphmagi.  He was able to turn his arms into wings already and he was also able to mess around with the length of his hair at will, although he was making slow process with the Basilisk.  Harry was also able to meditate for about fifteen minutes, clearing his mind, although he was still struggling to do it right before falling asleep. Dumbledore was satisfied nonetheless.

Harry continued to be paired up with Blaise in many of his classes, and after a while Harry began to suspect some polite sabotaging from Dumbledore, but Harry didn't mind too much.  Harry began to think that the world was eerily silent, when a special edition of the Daily Prophet rocked the Hogwarts breakfast tables.

"Attack on Diagon Alley rattles Wizarding World; New Minister of Magic Needed"

By Devon Shawshank

Editor-in-Chief

In the first attack on wizard kind from He-who-must-not-be-Named, the Leaky Cauldron was ambushed late last night by a swarm of Death Eaters.  Although no Wizards were killed in the attack, many were rushed to St. Mungos for emergency treatment.  The building was completely destroyed, along with its entrance into Diagon Alley that those coming in from Muggle London use to arrive in Diagon Alley.  The "Minister of Magic" has assured us that a new, temporary location will be found for the entrance in due time.

The Ministry of Magic has failed us once again.  This attack should have been prevented, and it failed to catch a single Death Eater that undertook the attack.  Since it has been more than five years since the last election for a Minister of Magic, I am using the authority granted to me to call for a vote of no confidence in the Minister's ability to lead.  According to Section 34.342 part A of the Ministry of Magic's Rules and Regulations for Governing, in two weeks the election will take place.

Qualified Candidates can submit their applications to run to Mr. Percy Weasley, Ministry of Magic.  Applications must be sent in within three days of the announcement of an election."

Albus Dumbledore, most noted for being Headmaster of Hogwarts, when reached for comment declined to run, but threw his support behind Arthur Weasley, current head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office.  Fudge has previously announced he would run against any competitor for the position, although we here at the Daily Prophet think he should just resign.  More Details on page 2,3,4,6,7,8."

A/N:  To all the Ron lovers…you may not like the rest of the story :-) Also, a warning…there's going to be at least one death, maybe more, in the story.  I started up a yahoo group that I will e-mail when I upload another chapter…along with an occasional poll and a chat every now and then.  Join it by going to .  Thanks again for the reviews all!  The lucky 500th reviewer got her questioned answered about what was up with Ron.  I'm still blown away by your reviews and your IMs…thanks everyone!!  I've got a final in Macroeconomics (gag me) on Wednesday…so I can't start the next chapter until then, but Ill do my hardest to have it up by Thursday night.   IF you notice any other fics popping up by me (I've got an idea for a songfic) they aren't associated with this story and this plot…but feel free to read them anyways.  Oh, and I decided to make Blaise a girl, although I bet Blaise is really a guy.  It worked better for the plot of the story.


	9. Chapter 9 The Big Fight

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix Chapter 9 - The Big Fight  
  


For the first time in months, Harry Potter woke up screaming in the middle of the night.

"Harry?  You ok?" asked all of his dorm mates.

"Are the visions about Voldemort back?"

"No…I don't think so…this was a regular nightmare I think.  I can't make sense of it all…something about Foreign Currency Markets and Gross National Products and I don't even know what that Macroeconomics was…"

"Oh well Mate.  You might want to get your head checked out if you're dreaming about things that don't exist."

"Yah…ok…sorry all…see you in the morning"

The race for Minister was neck and neck between Weasley and Fudge with only two days left until those witches and wizards of age could vote for the new Minister.  Although Dumbledore's support of Weasley had initially helped propel Arthur into the lead, Fudge countered by getting Percy Weasley to publicly support him.  The scandal of Arthur's son supporting "the other side" looked really bad.  That morning, a familiar face walked up to Harry after his Defense and the DA class. It was Luna Lovegood.

"Hey Harry!"

"Hey Luna…what's up?  You seemed to get the spell just fine."

"Oh, its not about the lesson.  It's about the race for Minister of Magic.  The Weasley family has always been good to my family throughout the years, and I really want to see Fudge go down after all of those Goblin assassinations.  Tomorrow, Dad is going to publish a special **Quibbler** on the election, and I was wondering if you would write something about the election.  You do want Weasley to win right?"

"Of course.  I'll do anything to see Fudge crash and burn.  When do you need it by?"

"Midnight…so I can send it with an emergency owl so Dad gets it in time for the printing.  I'm sorry its such a late notice, but…"

"Its fine," interrupted Harry, "I'll get to you before midnight.  I can work on it during my next class and dinner, and if I'm not done by then I'll finish it as soon as I'm done with the practicum tonight."

"Thanks Harry."

"Oh, thank you for the opportunity Luna."

Harry ran to check in with Dumbledore on his meditation progress, and then headed to the library to work on the article for Luna.

"Why I support Weasley

By Harry Potter

If I could vote in this upcoming election, Arthur Weasley would be the ideal candidate for my vote, but seeing as I am only 16 this will have to do.

I haven't been in the magical world for very long, but I don't think I've ever met someone as incompetent as Minister Fudge.  Every time I have seen him, he has shown his incompetence.  The first time, he wasn't aware I was watching.  He blamed my good friend Hagrid, now the Care of Magical Creatures Professor, as responsible for letting a basilisk roam around the school, and threw him in Azkaban without a trial during my second year.

I met him again in my third year when I ran away from my Muggle relatives after accidentally using magic on my Uncle's sister.  He sat down, and patronized me by speaking to me like I was a three year old and let any punishment slide just because of my name.

My fourth year had his greatest blunder – at the end of the third task of the Triwizard tournament, he refused to believe that Voldemort was back and that the dark times were upon us once again, and he let Voldemort and his cronies wreck havoc across the country, covering it up from the public.

My fifth year he appointed the most incompetent person I have met outside of Fudge to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and later kicked out Dumbledore and promoted this farce to Headmaster.  Without the student's initiatives against this farce, who knows where Hogwarts would be today.

On the complete opposite, let me introduce you to a man who took me in and practically made me a part of his family, Arthur Weasley.  Mr. Weasley never doubted that Voldemort was back, and joined Professor Dumbledore in doing their best to foil Voldemort's plans, even with Fudge's interference.  Mr. Weasley was even gravely injured in his duties against Voldemort, putting his life on the line, which is more than Fudge can say, or more than Fudge would ever do.

Mr. Weasley is the only candidate that I can say that I fully trust to do a good job and protect us from Voldemort and the Death Eaters, and I fully back his campaign.  I plead with you to save the wizarding world and vote Weasley for Minister of Magic."

Harry ran the letter by Dumbledore first, to make sure that everything was OK, and after his approval he ran the letter to Luna so she could OWL it off, and so Harry could enjoy the last ten minutes of dinner before the practicum.

Harry's article in the **Quibbler** was enough to lift Arthur Weasley over Fudge, and he was elected to be the Minister of Magic by more than five percentage points, which no one expected.  That night, there was a party that put all previous parties to shame in the Gryffindor tower, with Ginny and Ron at the center of attention.

"Harry, Dad asked me to invite you to the swearing in ceremony.  Its on Sunday…think you'll be able to come?" asked Ron near the end of the party.

"Ron…I think I'll pass.  I don't want to rain on the Weasley parade.  I really should hang back here at Hogwarts anyways."

At this, Ron stormed off, leaving a confused Harry in his wake.  "What was that all about?"

"Harry," replied Ginny from behind him, "Ron's still coping with Dad becoming minister.  It's been a big shock for all of all of us Weasleys.  We really do consider you part of the family and all…but if you don't want to go I completely understand…I'd rather not go but I'm forcing myself too.  Anyways, I'm going to bed.  Thanks for all you did for Dad…I doubt he would have won without your article in the **Quibbler**."

"Thanks Ginny.  Good Night."

Journal Entry: September 27th

The public, at least according to the **Daily Prophet** seems to fully be behind Mr. Weasley as minister now, because last night he, along with members of the Order and the Ministry, made a raid on a Death Eater hideout and captured 5 more.  Mr. Weasley says that his primary goal is to "get rid of Voldemort first, but not to forget who we truly are in the process," whatever that means.  Fudge left the ministry very disgruntled, and a few of his staunchest supporters left right along with him, including Professor Umbridge thankfully.  Percy's still there, but he got shifted in the Ministry shake up to work in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office…I heard he's livid but keeping his mouth shut.  One of Mr. Weasley's first acts was to kick out all of the Voldemort supporters and spies…all in all about a third of the ministry no longer works there.  Hopefully he'll be able to fill those positions soon.

Ron seems to be acting funny as of late…especially now that his father was elected Minister of Magic.  He seemed rather forced when he invited me to the swearing in ceremony, and even more upset when I declined to stay at Hogwarts and get some work done.  I wouldn't mind going, but my presence there would have distracted from Mr. Weasley and the whole Weasley clan…how could I explain to Ron that I didn't want to go because I didn't want to steal the spotlight that would rightly be given to the Weasleys?  I REALLY hope Ron doesn't hold this against me later.

Everything is going well with classes…and although I seem to be getting closer with Blaise (which seems inevitable with the teachers forcing us to pair together) but also me and Hermione seem to be studying a lot more together than we used to.  I've noticed that I'm not blowing up nearly as often as I used to, but that may be because I'm just too busy and worn out to feel any anger.  

It's a month into school, and I think its safe to say that I've learned more in a month this year than I ever have before.  I'm really excited about the classes…even potions!  Snape seems to be less hostile towards me than normal, and I suspect its because I managed to make it into the NEWT Prep class…it might be because I'm working with Blaise but I doubt that's the only reason.  So far my favorite class has been the Animagi class…I really hope I can nail down the Pigeon form before the end of term, so I can focus solely on Metamorphmagi, which is much harder, and the Basilisk form.

The Quidditch season is about to officially start, with Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff.  Ginny's still seeker, and although it sounds like Ron has put together an OK team, I still wish I could be on it.  It just doesn't seem fair that I had to sacrifice Quidditch, on top of everything else.  Dumbledore said he didn't want to put any more pressures on me, at least he said that at the end of last year, but he never said anything about taking any the pleasures in my life.  Oh well…no use in complaining."

The day after the swearing in, everything exploded, and the trigger was the first test in Dueling and the DA.  Harry and Hermione were calling up the students one by one to demonstrate the spells that they had learned throughout the first month.  Everyone seemed to have an easy time; even Neville seemed to get all the spells right, everyone, that is, but Ron Weasley, who couldn't cast 5 of the spells properly.  Ron left the testing area, muttering something about lousy teachers, when Harry turned to Hermione and asked, "What should we do?"

"Harry…we have to do what's fair.  We have to give him a grade based on his performance today…and it was not acceptable.  I think he earned a…"

"A Poor…yah I know.  That's how we set up the grading system at the beginning of the year.  Who should break it to him, you or me?"

"I would…but I've got an Arithmancy test that I have to get to."

"OK Hermy…I'll do it.  Wish me luck."

Harry approached Ron in the Common Room, and asked to speak with him up in Harry's trunk for some privacy.

"Gee Harry!  Sure…lets go to _your trunk_ so _we_ can talk.  I think we should talk right here."

"Um ok Ron, if you're sure" _Come on Harry…keep your temper under control_.  "But don't say I didn't warn you that you'd rather hear this in privacy.  It;s about your Dueling and the DA class and the test you just got done taking."

"What?  I did fine!"

"No you didn't Ron…everyone else passed with flying colors.  You messed up five spells, and based of the grading scale we set earlier in the year that's gets a Poor grade."

"Poor?  POOR!?!"

"Sorry Ron"

"Look here...you say 'we' set the scale…"

"Yes, Me and Hermione."

"OH!  So you and Hermione.  What about Dumbledore?"

"What about him?  He approved of the scale like he's approved of everything else we've done in the class."

"Of, of course he would approve of whatever his golden boy thought…"

_I don't think Meditation will work anymore_.  "What do you mean GOLDEN BOY?"

"Anything you want you get.  You even weaseled your way into getting a phoenix somehow, when it's obvious you don't deserve one."

"How DARE you talk about Corning like that."

"And what's with you and Hermione?!?  Leading her on like that, when you are obviously interested in BLAISE!  A SLIMY SLYTHERIN!"

"She is NOT slimy.  She happens to be a Slytherin, yes, but what does that matter?  And what are you insinuating when you say I'm leading Hermione on?"

"Please!  I know you're interested in her and that you want to screw her.  Well LAY OFF…You've known I've been interested in Hermione since our fourth year at the Yule Ball…but you have to go and steal my glory there too."

"You have no IDEA what you're talking about!  Hermione and me are just FRIENDS.  Like me and YOU ARE."

"Yah, only you and me haven't had any romantic interludes"

"AND NOR HAVE ME AND HERMIONE."

"Sure Harry.  You're just leading her on, when you're so obviously in love with Blaise anyways.  A SLYTHERIN!  You're nothing but a TRAITOR to our house!"

"I'm NOT in love with Blaise you GIT.  A guy and a girl can be friends without having any romantic intentions."

"…Yah Harry, when Pigs fly…"

"And Syltherins and Gryffindors can be friends"

"Whatever"

"Did you NOT hear what the sorting hat said, you closed minded GIT?"

"How DARE you call me a git?  I'm the son of the Minister of Magic!  You can't talk to me like that!"

"Oh I can't?!?  Want to bet?  And he's only mister because of my words of recommendation!"

"You keep thinking that you egomaniac."

"And you know its true…and it's eating you up on the inside."

"I'm GLAD I wouldn't let you weasel your way back on to the Quidditch team.  I was right about you all along Potter."

"Why be on your team anyways when you'll fail miserably like you usually do."

"Don't talk about MY TEAM LIKE THAT."

"Both of you SHUT UP!  YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BLODDY COMMON ROOM." Yelled Hermione as she stormed in through the portrait.

"I don't need to listen to you, Miss Know-it-All.  I'm a bloody prefect like you," yelled Ron as he stormed out of the Common Room, leaving a completely stunned Gryffindor House behind him.

"HARRY?  What HAPPENED?"

"I'm not going to talk about it.  Some one else clue her in, please.  I'm going to my room, and don't want to be bothered for the rest of the night.  I'm skipping the rest of the classes tonight.  Ill see you all tomorrow."

Harry immediately went into his trunk, to immediately be comforted by Corning.  "Corning…why did he have to be so…" and he broke down to tears in his trunk.

That night, Harry had a restless sleep, and when he woke up about midnight, Harry had an all too familiar feeling in his stomach.  Voldemort was extremely happy about something…and Harry would rather not know about what.

A/N:  Sorry!  I just couldn't resist throwing in the nightmare about my Macro final...hehehe.  Won't happen again and really has NO POINT in the plot whatsoever.  Let a man have his fun, will ya?  I hope the fight doesn't, well, piss too many people off out there!  Thanks for all the reviews.  I'll try to get another chapter up before the end of the weekend…but I've got a fun holiday weekend with my Beta reader, but Ill try to find some time :-)


	10. Chapter 10 The Aftermath

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 10 - The Aftermath

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these characters, the canon herself JK does…or maybe Warner Brothers does…maybe Scholastic…who knows? Anyways, it's not me, and I am not here to make any money…and I got a Beta reader who is new to the job…so forgive her and me for the mistakes :-)  Also…if you plan on posting my story anywhere, you must ask me permission first, and tell me the site.

The next morning, Harry was at breakfast waiting for a copy of the Daily Prophet. He was looking for why Voldemort was so happy the night before.  If Voldemort was happy, then the rest of the world should be frightened, but there wasn't anything in the papers about it.  Harry was quite unnerved when there wasn't anything that would cause Voldemort to be so happy.  Harry began to think about what that could mean when Hermione tapped him on the shoulder.

"Morning Harry."

"Hi Hermione."

"So what exactly happened with you and Ron last night?  All the people in the common room would tell me is that you two got into a fight. What about?  Did you tell him about his grade?"

"What do you think started the fight?  Yes, I told him about his grade."

"Oh.  It sounded a little more heated then a fight about a grade.  Tell me what it was about!"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"And why NOT?"

"Because…Hermione…" Harry didn't want to tell Hermione what Ron said about her, but at the same time he knew that she wouldn't let it go until he said something, "Ok, he was getting all defensive about me studying so much with Blaise."

"Well…although I can see why he'd be upset, she is a Slytherin after all, she seems to be a decent person."

"That's what I think!"

"Harry…I know that's not all there was to the fight.  I'm not stupid after all, but since it's obvious you don't want to tell me I won't pester you anymore."

"Thanks Hermione."

"I'll just go ask Ron whenever I see him next."

"Fine.  Whatever.  I'm heading to potions, I'll meet you in there."

Harry had a horrible potions lesson.  He just couldn't seem to concentrate any time he saw Blaise or Hermione…every time he saw one of them he would think back to what Ron said and get so angry that he would do accidental magic, causing a particularly nasty accident in Potions that sent him up to the Hospital wing.

"Welcome back Mr. Potter…I think we should have a bed permanently reserved for you."

"Ha ha."

"What happened this time?"

"Jar of newt entrails exploded next to me."

"Oh, we'll get that cleaned up in no time."

"Thanks."

As Madame Pomfrey tended to Harry's wounds, he began to lose himself in his thoughts.

_If this happens all day today, I'm in trouble.  I can't even imagine what will happen in DADA when I see Ron for the first time today.  I wonder if anything Ron yelled at me last night was true…am I leading Hermione on?  Blaise on?  I don't think I am…I don't think I could imagine either of them like that at the moment…I mean look at what happened last year with Cho!  As if I don't have enough to worry about, going out with someone might just add to the worries, although I really do seem at ease when around Blaise and Hermione…and why was Ron just so angry at me?  Did I really do anything wrong?  Maybe I just didn't know him as well as I thought I did…although I can't imagine how I could have overlooked something such a big, well, side of him…Maybe…"_

"All finished Mr. Potter, now back to classes with you.  The bell just rang for you to get to your second class, so scoot!

In Transfiguration, Harry wasn't much better although he managed to avoid causing any harm to himself, or anyone else for that matter.  He did, however, get a detention from Professor McGonagall for missing the previous day's practicum.  Charms went the same way, but it was time to see how well Harry could control him emotions when Defense Against the Dark Arts came.

Harry was one of the first students to walk into the class. He hadn't walked with anyone or spoke with anyone on the way there and sat near the back of the classroom. He really didn't want to be called on in this lesson.  They were to be talking more about the ethics behind killing dark creatures, and Harry didn't want to deal with philosophy today.  Most of the class began to roll in, and eventually Ron came in talking with Hermione.  Hermione looked at Harry with sorrow in her eyes, but decided not to sit next to him and sat near the front instead.  As Ron passed Harry, Ron "accidentally" knocked Harry's belongings off his desk and onto the floor and kept on walking without apologizing.

Gee…thanks Ron.  Git.  And what's with Hermione tagging alongside Ron all the sudden?  I wonder what in the name of Merlin he told Hermione about that bloody fight yesterday.

"Harry…why you sitting all the way back here?" asked the familiar voice of Blaise Zabini.

"I don't want to talk about it now.  Ask me later."

"But why aren't you sitting up there with the other two thirds of the Dream Team?"

"Later Blaise."

"OK, but you owe me an explanation about what happened in potions this morning.  Same time, same place for the potions HW?"

"Sure Blaise."

All day long, Harry was off in his lessons.  He didn't speak up in any of his classes, and in his class on the Return of Voldemort, Dumbledore stopped to question why.

"I had a big fight with Ron."

Immediately, a look of concern crossed Dumbledore's face, surprising Harry.

_He must be worried for my sanity…Merlin I would be too_.

"That's not the worst thing though…all day long I've been wondering what this feeling I had last night was all about.  I got a feeling that Voldemort was extremely happy about something.  The last time I felt that was when Azkaban was broken last year…but there was nothing in the papers about it this morning."

"Curious indeed Harry…nothing major did happen last night that I know of.  Curious indeed…"

After a long pause…"Harry, I hope you don't mind, but your news concerns me, and I need to get the Order acting on it to see if we can find out what is going on.  I hope you work out your fight with Ron, and I will see you here on Tuesday."

"Sure…I wasn't up for much of a lesson anyhow.  Let me know if you find out anything please!"

"Of course Harry…of course."

After dinner and the Charms practicum, Harry met up with Blaise in their usual spot in the library. The immediately began work on their Potions assignments, until Blaise slammed her book shut.

"Harry!  What has been wrong with you ALL DAY?  I can't stand to see you in a rut like this, amd you promised to tell me what was bugging you, so dish."

"I got into a big fight with Ron last night."

"About what?"

"About a LOT of things…"

"Like…"

"I can't tell you all of the fight, because there is some stuff that you don't know yet…but I'll tell you the part that involved me."

"You had a fight about ME?"

"Well…kinda….yah.  He pretty much called you trash.  He berated me for being friendly with you, and he thinks that me and you are in some sort of relationship, and that I'm leading both you and Hermione on at the same time, and its still really confusing, and I'm worried he may be right…am I leading you on?"

"Oh Harry, of course you aren't.  Don't listen to the git; he doesn't know what he's talking about.  He is just jealous we can be friends when he can't seem to be friends with anyone but you and Hermione.   And you say he called me trash?"

"Well…he didn't say that specifically, but he pretty much said that I'm betraying the house by being friends with a 'slimy Slytherin'?"

"He WHAT?"

Ron Weasley picked probably the worst time he could have thought of to enter the library.  As soon as he walked in, Blaise stormed over to him and slapped him.

"Ron Weasely, how DARE you call me Slytherin trash!?!  What is with you and your prejudices against Slytherin anyways?

"Oh, I dunno, Voldemort?  Malfoy?  Those sound like two good reasons to me, and never touch me again.  And what are you two doing in the library this late?  I'll have to write you up for this, and for assaulting a prefect…"

"Oh, that's right…I forgot how I look like, act like, sound like either of them, and for your information dingbat we have an excuse from Snape."

"You're like them, you're in Slytherin, close enough, and an excuse for what?  I doubt you two are working on homework…"

"What's that supposed to mean…and so WHAT?  I'm ambitious…so sue me!  Who ever said that was something undesirable?  I happen to want to be as strong as I can possibly come…"

"See!  All you want is power!" interrupted Ron.

"I want that power so I can put it to good use!  I plan on being an Auror thank you very much."

"Big whoop…that's what I plan on doing too."

"But I'll be able to follow through with my plans Weasley.  What classes are you in?  I doubt Intermediate Charms will get you very far…and you aren't even in potions!  You can't be an Auror…and I can…and Harry can…and Hermione can…and it must eat you alive on the inside."

"That's what you think you Slytherin trash.  I can be an Auror if I want to be…I'm the son of the Minister of Magic."

"Using your family ties?  You sound more like a Malfoy than you do a Weasley.  You're only the son of the Minister of Magic because of Harry, don't you forget it.  The Aurors wouldn't care what Minister Weasley told them to do…you still have to be competent to be an Auror."

"What would YOU know about anything Zabini?  You're family are nothing but Slytherin trash.  You're whole family have been a disgrace to the world…you and your family are nothing but trash, and not worth the food that you eat, which seems to be a lot."

Blaise slapped him again. .

"Never talk about my family again."

"How DARE you slap me again?  I let you get away with one, but not again.  **Odium!"** shouted Ron.

Harry, who had his wand ready ever since the fight broke out, immediately shouted "**Nullus Odium."**

"Ronald Weasley," shouted a livid Madame Pince, who arrived just in time to see Ron try to curse Blaise, "how DARE you try to curse another student in the library.  Such behavior from a PREFECT no less.  I shall see to it that Professor McGonagall takes your badge awayt.  Thank goodness Mr. Potter was here to prevent any damage."  

Madame Pince dragged Ron away from the table, and out the library.

"Harry…what was that spell he used?  And what spell did YOU use?"

"**Odium** is a nasty curse…if he had succeeded then it would have you to hate yourself to the point of self-mutilation, both physical and magical.  I wrote about it in that essay for Advanced DADA on a spell that should be unforgivable but isn't…and I know Ron didn't use that spell…he told me he used a different one…so why would he know how to use it?"

"Beats me…but what was with that **Nullus thing?"**

"**Nullus** is a spell that I taught in Dueling and the D.A., which surprises me that Ron wasn't expecting it…I mean he is in the class after all…anyways, you cast **Nullus right after another spell has been cast.  If cast in time, ****Nullus will immediately cancel out a spell…its sort of like the anti-spell for that spell.  It will immediately dissipate the spell into thin air, but the tricky part is being fast enough to cast it."**

"Wait a second…what the hell is 'Dueling and the D.A'?  What do you mean you teach it?"

"Oh…well…me and Hermione teach this class called 'Dueling and the D.A.' Last year we started up the DA so we could learn real DADA instead of that lousy Umbridge, where we weren't learning anything useful.  Dumbledore decided to make it a class, and open it up to the whole school after the first term."

"I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for that one.   I am going back to the Slytherin common room…this has just been too much to absorb.  You keep on surprising me Pigeon…but in a good way.  Good night."

A/N: Yah, I know I took forever with this chapter.  I had a really busy week…but expect other chapters to come out on an around-weekly basis…thanks to all the reviewers…you guys rock my world :-)  HPBetrayalOfThePhoenix@yahoogroups.com is the yahoo group for this fic…and I send out announcements when the next chapter's been uploaded.  And Check out my songfic based off of Bjork's "I have seen it all" which is from her awesome musical "Dancer in the dark."  It made me cry, I swear!


	11. Chapter 11 Repercussions and Confessions

Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 11 - Repercussions and Confessions

Disclaimer:  I own nothing and will not profit from this.  Let a guy have some fun!  Longer note at the bottom.

The next morning everyone knew what had happened the night prior, due to the familiar shriek of Molly Weasley's voice…Ron had gotten a howler.

"Ronald Weasley, never before have I ever been as ashamed as I am right now.  Attacking a fellow student is uncalled for, no matter the circumstances.  You deserve whatever you have coming to you, although I know you lost your Prefect Badge, rightfully so.  You should thank your lucky stars you weren't expelled for this!  Next time I see you, you are in a heap of trouble.  Did you even think about your father?  Imagine what this will do to him now that he's Ministry.  Absolutely unforgivable.  And if you haven't apologized by the time you get this howler, which I will know, you are in even MORE trouble."

Mrs. Weasley was right. Notice has been posted that the 6th year male Gryffindor prefect was no longer Ron Weasley…but instead

"LONGBOTTOM" shouted Draco from across the hall, "How could they make LONGBOTTOM a PREFECT?  It's better than Potter or Weasel, but come on!  LONGBOTTOM!  HAH!"

"Congrats Neville.  You deserve it," said Harry at the Gryffindor table, "especially after all that happened last year.  Also," leaned Harry in as he whispered in Neville's ear, "I am sure that your parents are so proud of you right now.  I am sure they know what happened."

"Thanks Harry."

"Anytime.  I got to get going to Potions, I'll catcha later."

"Harry, wait up!" exclaimed an anxious Hermione, "I want to chat with you on the way."

"Ok.  What do you want to know?"

"Harry, what happened last night?  All I know if McGonagall told me to start training Neville, as Ron had attacked another student and was no longer a prefect."

"He tried to attack Blaise, but I stopped him in time."

"He really did do it then?  I thought Blaise must have made it up!"

"Why would you think that?"

"Well…she is a Slytherin"

"Not you too!"

"Well, I know you can't completely judge them based off what house they are in…but I thought I knew Ron well enough to know he would never attack someone."

"I thought so too.  Guess we were both wrong."

"Harry…I have to find out why Ron did it. I mean…I know you two had a big fight and all, but I have to know what's going on with him.  I just can't stop being his friend over this…I need to be there for him.  He doesn't really have anyone else…I can't stand to lose him…"

"Hermy, I know.  I was actually waiting for you to tell me that.  Its because…"

"I think I may have a crush on him, but if he has changed so much then obviously I thought wrong."

"Understood Hermione.  I'll talk with you later…Class is about to start."

As soon as Harry began to move towards his usual seat, next to Blaise, he was shocked to see Malfoy was sitting in his seat, and had no plans on moving.  Shrugging, Harry sat down next to Justin and began to think about what was going on.

What an odd morning.  I knew Hermione had a crush on Ron…I'm kinda glad she didn't have one on me…that would have been too strange for words.  I'm glad Neville got Prefect instead of me…I've got way too much to think about now without the responsibilities, although I wish I had been asked, but I understand…Neville really does deserve it.  Like the time he tried to stop me, Hermione and Ron from going after the Sorcerer's Stone…best not go down that train of thought.  And what was up with Malfoy today?  He seems at least civil to me up till this day, then he turns back into the Malfoy we all know and hate.  What happened there?

Harry finished the rest of the days classes with ease, although as usual DADA was as uncomfortable as could be with Ron and Blaise in the same class, but Lupin had obviously been told what happened and had put the two in opposite sides of the room, and the days lecture all about the curse **Odium**, and why to never ever use it.

That night, Harry went to study in the library like he normally did, and sat down next to Blaise, who was actively reading one of their books for DADA.  Unlike normal, the two of them hardly spoke to each other.  Harry didn't want to bring up what had happened the night prior, so just kept to himself instead.

Blaise stumbled and fell on to Harry as they were walking out of the library.  Harry noticed as Blaise slipped a note in his bag

"Pigeon,

I need to talk with you privately, and it's urgent.  You seem to know more about Hogwarts than any other student…do you know somewhere we can go where we can be alone to talk…and a way to get there without anybody seeing it?  I know it sounds strange, but I'll explain everything later.  Meet me in the Great Hall during Breakfast on Saturday, and when you get up to leave I will to, and we can leave from there.  Please don't tell anyone about this…I'll explain it on Saturday.

-Parakeet"

_What an odd note…I wonder what she has to talk to me about.  Shouldn't be a big problem…I'll grab the invisibility cloak and stuff it in my bag, and take her to either the Room of Requirement or to my Trunk…that might be better considering only like, three people know the details on the trunk, and a lot more know about the Room of Requirement.  Her note sounds ominous though…I wonder what's going on_.

Harry followed through with his plan, met up with Blaise, and took her to the Gryffindor tower, underneath Harry's Invisibility Cloak, and to his trunk.

After they got settled down on the fifth compartment of his trunk, Blaise finally opened up.

"Harry…I am sorry for the secrecy, but this meeting would never have happened if it wasn't for the secrecy.  I have to be honest with you…something that I haven't done all year.  At the beginning of the year, Malfoy came to me with a plan.  Well, not so much a plan, rather than a demand.  He had gotten a copy of the class rosters for the year, and he saw how many classes we would have together, and he mentioned that in a couple of the classes we would be paired up.  I don't know how he knew, but he knew somehow.  He told me that we were to get close to each other, or Lord Voldemort would come after my family.  My family is one of the few who resisted him the first time, and Voldemort was waiting for an excuse to go after them.  He told me I had to spy on you and to get close so Voldemort could use the closeness as a weakness, and I had no choice to obey.

But all of that changed Harry.  All of it changed after I found out who you really were, not just that "Potter" who was Slytherin's worst nightmare.  After that first class, when we started talking about what makes something evil, I knew I couldn't go through with it.  The first report I have with Malfoy and Voldemort was last night, and I fibbed my way through, and they could tell.  They killed my cousin in front of my eyes last night as a warning., and I don't know what to do Harry.  I can't do what Malfoy wants me to, but I can't say no, because the rest of my family will die for it.  Harry, I need to know what to do…"

Harry took a moment to think about it.  "Blaise.  Go talk to Dumbledore and tell him everything you just told me."

"Will you come with me?"

"I can't right now."

"You can't?"

"No.  I need to think about this for a while.  Please…just…take my cloak to get out of the Tower and go to Dumbledore."

"If you say so Harry.  And Harry," she paused as she waited at the steps, "I am sorry."  And with that, Blaise left Harry's trunk.

What can I do about this.  Malfoy.  Why does Malfoy always try to screw up my life?  Last year.  The DA.  Sirius.  Every year's classes.  Chamber of Secrets.  Who's the Real Champion now.  I just can't believe Malfoy would blackmail Blaise into doing something like this.  Is there anyone I can trust anymore?  If Blaise was deceitful about everything up until this point, how can I trust that she isn't being deceitful now?  Obviously, Blaise needs to go report to Malfoy and to Voldemort, although I can't imagine what about.  How can I ask someone to be a double agent?  How could anyone ask someone else to be a double agent?  She's got a family to worry about…I don't have that concern anymore.  Here comes Corning with a letter.  It's from Dumbledore, shocker there.  He wants to meet with my in his office immediately.  I doubt he has a solution either.

A/N: Sorry it took, well, forever.  Life got busy, and when Jury Duty calls you have to go, so my apologies!  Below is a quote from the Democratic candidate for President Dennis Kucinich (www.kucinich.us , and he's got my full support), and I thought it was just too awesome not to share (and its about Harry Potter too!)  See you next time!

"I just came from Newton, Iowa, where I was one of five Democratic Presidential candidates, and was asked a question relating to cuts in educational spending. I told this story of how in Washington there is this sculpture above the entrance to the House of Representatives of a woman whose arm is outstretched, protecting a child who is happily sitting on top of a pile of books. The title of the sculpture is 'Peace protecting genius.' Then I went on to say that I have it on authority that one of the books that the child is sitting on is the soon to be released "Harry Potter Challenges the Pentagon" in which Harry Potter takes on Lord Voldemort, and I explained that Lord Voldemort has an insatiable appetite for violence. I pointed out that the increase in the Pentagon budget takes money away from education. As President I intend to cut the waste from the Pentagon budget and put that money right into education. Harry Potter knows that education or Hogwarts is the place where magic is made and we are going to create new magic in the country by rebuilding our education system. I closed by saying, 'Will Harry Potter overcome the power of Lord Voldemort? When I am elected President I intend to restore the educational funding, and I know where the money is.' After the event a young boy and a young girl both came up to me with their brand new copies of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and asked me to sign them. And they knew exactly what I was talking about."   
  
Dennis J. Kucinich   
Newton, Iowa

More Author's note, written a couple of months later: Sorry about taking so long…I really thought about just simply stopping it for longer just because I simply don't have the time.  I'm the state coordinator for this presidential campaign, and a senior in college, and life caught up with me.  The deluge of IM's and E-Mails, although annoying at times, is the only reason why I felt like finishing this chapter.

Also, someone asked about hosting the story elsewhere.  I would be honored, as long as you give me credit and send me an email of where it's located at.


	12. Chapter 12 Discussions and Decisions

Harry Potter and Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 12 - Discussion and Decisions

A/n: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaack.  This is the most dialogue-heavy chapter I've ever written.  And I hate writing dialogue.  That's one reason why this chapter is so late.  The usual disclaimer (don't sue, I'm not making money, yadda yadda yaddah) applies.  I'm thinking about going back and redoing the previous chapters and fleshing some stuff out.  Enjoy!  
  
"Harry, let me introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Zabini, Blaise's parents. I brought them here via Fawkes because this decision affects them as well. I know Blaise talked to you about the situation Harry, and Blaise just got done informing her parents of the situation. Its obvious something has to be done, but I think we should, what do the muggles call it, 'brainstorm,' a solution.  How I see it there are two basic outcomes, either Blaise spies on Harry and reports to Malfoy or Blaise refuses to spy on Harry."

"An outright refusal would put Mr. and Mrs. Zabini in even more danger, along with Blaise.  I wouldn't want anyone to be in more danger," responded Harry.

"Harry," spoke Mrs. Zabini, "we are already in more danger than you realize.  We were one of the few traditionally-Slytherin, pure blood families to refuse joining He-who-must-not-be-named the first time around.  When we did that we knew we put a target on ourselves."

"What did you during Voldemort's first rise?"

"Well, we tried to live our lives as we normally would have.  We were much more vigilant than normal, and we tried to remain as neutral as possible.  We had no desire to openly declare allegiance, and we decided to hold back and make our decision late in the War.  You-know-who was angry we opted to not join him, but he was not furious as we had not gone over to support Dumbledore…" replied Mr. Zabini, before interrupted by his wife.

"But, neither of us had been directly approached by either side after You-know-who's initial 'offer' and we were not expecting to have to make a decision again, but you-know-who made that impossible this time around.  The trouble is in, ideologically I can almost agree with what you-know-who believes, although my husband disagrees with me there, but I can never accept violence as an acceptable alternative."

"Mum, Dad, I don't think this time we can remain neutral this time...at least I can't.  They killed Cousin Frederix last night in front of me as a warning.  I want to support the light…it feels right," pondered Blaise.

"Well, you can support the light, but you don't have to broadcast it openly," replied Dumbledore, "there are options available."

"I don't want to live in fear, and I don't want Blaise to have to either.  At the same time, I couldn't imagine losing Blaise or my husband, or have them lose me.  I agree that we will never turn dark,

"As do I," interrupted Mr. Zabini

"But if we let others know, that would make us a very public target for You-Know-Who."

"It would, but this talk doesn't solve the problem before us.  Before I give my opinion, I want to clarify something that happened Blaise.  Didn't you say something like they knew you weren't telling the truth?" asked Harry.

"Well, yah, but I suspect that I was just really nervous about it and it showed."

"Well, it is possible they saw through your nervousness, or they could have someone among them skilled in Legilimency…" pondered Dumbledore.

"They seemed to know that I was lying about some pretty private details Harry…and I could tell that they *knew* already what I should have said."

"I wish I didn't even have to think about this, but that makes me think there's a spy Harry…another spy, and this one is close enough to you to know about your trunk."

Harry blanched.  "That narrows it down dramatically…"

"Harry, until we discover the spy you must be on constant guard, even among your friends.  At the moment, I don't know which students to trust anymore.  Be on your guard, and don't let any vital information slip," spoke a somber Dumbledore.

"Well, what should we do about our daughter?"

"Well, your daughter might have a say in it as well" muttered Blaise.

"Well, if our suspicions are correct, the there would be even more danger in becoming a spy, which is an alternative I considered, because they have an easy means of collaborating your story.  Any slip up would mean death.  I don't think I could even ask a child to spy on the most evil wizard alive with those kinds of consequences, it just wouldn't be right and it would go against what we stand for."

"But if I don't spy for them they will come after me, and my parents Prof. Dumbledore!  I can't let that happen!  Professor, would you mind if I spoke to my parents along for a minute?"

"Feel free, Harry, we have something to discuss anyway.  If you'll follow me please"

Harry followed Dumbledore outside his office.

"Harry, this is a grave time for everyone, but even more so for you.  It's obvious that someone fairly close to you is spying on you, although it will take time to discover who.  You must limit what you say and limit what you do in front of your peers…any semblance of something unusual Voldemort will surely know about soon enough.  But I don't want you to alter your life too much, in part because then Voldemort will know that we know he has a spy, but in larger part that although we both know what will happen, I still want you to have some semblance of a life before the time comes to face Voldemort."

"I'll trust you on this one Professor…but it is going to take several days for this to settle in.  It's been a wild couple of days."

"That is has Harry.  Ah, Miss Zabini.  Are you ready to come to a solution?"

"Yes Professor," replied Blaise as they walked back into Dumbledore's office.

"Albus, we are willing to declare an open allegiance to the light, if you can provide Blaise protection.  We are willing to work with you, not for you, to stop You-Know-Who this time around."

"Ok Mr. and Mrs. Zabini.  We will protect Blaise, and protect you to the best of our abilities.  You have a couple of options from here, you can be inducted into the Order of the Phoenix, move in to the Head Quarters, or…Harry, Blaise, why don't you two excuse us.  I believe it would be best for you two to discuss things a little more.  We will work your parent's situation out first and let you know on a need-to-know basis.  Blaise, for any questions you may have, feel free to ask both Harry and myself.  Blaise, Harry, I will send Fawkes with a note when you need to return to discuss what will happen at Hogwarts."

With that, Harry and Blaise left Dumbledore's office.

"Harry…"

"I know Blaise.  We need to go somewhere safe to talk."

"I just want to walk around a bit."

"Then I know the perfect place.  Let me show you the Room of Requirement."

"Uh, ok."

They walked silently until they got to the familiar, well, at least to Harry, area and Harry walked back and forth three times concentrating how he needs a private place where they can walk around, and somewhere calm and serene.  Harry heard Blaise's surprised gasp as the door appeared out of nowhere, and they entered.  Inside was what looked to be a park with a nice walking trail, a lake with a waterfall, at night with the starts shining above.

"Well, this is NOT what I was expecting, but it works.  Why is there a park inside Hogwarts?"

"We're in the Room of Requirement.  It is a room that conforms to the needs of the person inside.  For example, I'm pretty thirsty right now.  Could I get some water?" A glass appeared in Harry's hand.  "See?"

"Pretty interesting.  We'll have to come back here later.  Hey!  Why don't we do our homework from now on…I'd rather not stay in the library…"

Thinking of Ron's attack, Harry replied "Perfectly understandable.  I have no problems with that.  I'm sure the room would provide what we would need."

Both Harry and Blaise quieted off and began to walk slowly around the trail. The two went several minutes without saying anything, and just looked around at the scenery.

"Harry, how can you stand it?"

"Stand what?"

"Constantly being attacked from all sides?  Having to worry about where you'll get attacked next?"

"Well, you should know how it feels Blaise."

"Hunh?"

"Everyone is in danger in these times, and everyone should be afraid of being attacked from all sides, even those on the side of Voldemort.  I know what happens at those meetings, and he tortures and kills his own followers.  With a sociopath like Voldemort on the loose, everyone should be aware of the danger."

"But they aren't actively trying to destroy me like they are you Pigeon."

"Well, that's true.  But I have a question for you…how can YOU stand it all?"

"What on Earth do you mean?"

"How can you stand to be friends with someone who the most dangerous wizard alive wants dead?  You surely know the risks.  I can't help them wanting to go after me, but you could."

After a long pause, Blaise replied "I guess I have more to gain than being on your side then theirs.  You're right…they would just as soon kill me as anyone else."

Harry, unexpectedly, snorted back laugher at this.

"What was so funny about that?!?"

"Well, sometimes I wonder why you're a Slytherin.  Now, I realized.  A typical Gryffindor's response would have been 'It's the right thing to do.  I'm too brave to let them dictate who my friends are.'  You're response is just not what I was expecting."

"That's because you neglect your Slytherin side.  Everyone has one…"

"You have no idea," murmured Harry.

"What?  Why would I have no idea?"

"The sorting hat came within a stone's throw away of putting me in Slytherin."

"Get out!  You?  Mr. Gryffindor?"

"Mr. Gryffindor?  Where'd that come from?"

"Uhm," stammered Blaise as she blushed, "never mind about that.  Why did you not end up going into Slytherin?"

"Well, I asked not to be.  The only Slytherin I had met was Malfoy, and Weasley told me that all Slytherins were Dark…so I wasn't sure what to think.  I know that's not true now, and if I knew then what I know now I have no idea where I would have ended up."

"What do you know now that's different?"

"Well, I know that Dark wizards can come from all houses, and that Slytherin has some admirable traits."

"Admirable traits?  Like what?!?"

"I wish I was more cunning than I am.  It's a great trait to have in a battlefield.  Coming up with new uses for basic spells is something I have to put a lot of effort into learning.  There's nothing wrong with being ambitious either…as long its kept in check."

"I bet if you went and told that to your Gryffindor housemates their jaws would drop."

"Well, I bet the same in Slytherin.  Some of guys over there seem to take being a Slytherin as an excuse to be, well, evil."

"That's true, but that's not everyone in Slytherin.  There as some, like me, who I guess have a little Gryffindor in them that keeps them in check."

"Which is good.  I can see where the sorting hat comes from when it talks about how people from each house need to work together to defeat the Voldemort."

They walked around a bit more, before being interrupted by Fawkes, who was carrying a note requesting them to grab hold of Fawkes and he would transport them back to Dumbledore's office.

They arrived in Dumbledore's office with the anxious faces of Mr. and Mrs. Zabini looking in awe at their entrance.

"Hey, that was pretty cool.  Was that your first time Harry?"

"Nope, only done it once before Parakeet."

"Parakeet?  Why is he calling you parakeet Blaise?" asked a confused Mrs. Zabini.

"Well, I didn't want to tell you until I could transform, but I'm going to be an animagus soon.  My form is a Parakeet."

"Oh sweetie, I'm so proud!" exclaimed Mrs. Zabini as she hugged her daughter.  "First animagus in the family!"

"Way to go daughter.  Now, to explain what we are going to do.  We have agreed to become members of the Order of the Phoenix, which is group dedicated to beating the Death Eaters and helping out the one who can defeat him for good," Harry blushed, but Mr. Zabini didn't notice and kept on going, "and we will be moving into their headquarters, since our home is not safe for the time being.  You won't be able to talk to us very often, but you can still come and visit on holidays.  If I'm not mistaken, there are several students who have family members as part of the Order," Dumbledore nodded in agreement, "so you have some company in what you'll be going through.  We both know that its dangerous, and we could be injured in the line of fire, although we will mainly be training other members of the Order and taking more of a strategic planning role than a fighter, but you never know.  We both feel that doing what we can to rid Voldemort once and for all is worth the risk, and I hope you agree."

"I…I agree."

"Well, now to discuss what to do about the Malfoy situation.  Your parents and I have a suggestion, but in the end it is up for you to decide Blaise."

"Ok.  What's your suggestion?"

"Well, with us working for the Order, we don't think its possible to hide the fact that we chose to work against Voldemort.  We also don't think its right for you to act as a double agent…it would be putting you into too much risk," started Mr. Zabini.

"Its my place to say how much risk I am willing to take.  But I believe that it would be pointless for me to spy.  I am almost positive I would learn nothing from them, and only get myself into danger."

"We agree.  So, I think its best to let Malfoy know in the strongest terms possible you won't put up with it, and just go about your normal school work.  We entertained the idea about moving you out of Slytherin and into a new house, but that doesn't seem fair either."

"And I would not agree to that."

"Well, that too."

"So, basically, tell off Malfoy, watch my back, and act as nothing happened?"

"Pretty much."

"Well, that sounds ok to me."

"Now, if anything happens with Malfoy, let Harry or Dumbledore know and they will take care of it.  You have to promise me you'll strongly consider what they suggest."

"Ok mum.  I'm going to miss you two.  PLEASE be careful."

"We will hun.  Before you go Blaise, I am going to teach you a ward to put over your bed.  It will keep out unwelcome visitors and wake you when someone tries to enter.  Harry, thank you for being here, and thank you for your future help in this fight.  Please take good care of my daughter.  We're going to take Blaise out to Hogsmeade for a family dinner.  You're welcome to come if you'd like."

"No, that's ok.  Family thing.  Ill see you tomorrow Blaise, where we were earlier today, say, noon?"

"Ok," replied Blaise.

"Mr. Potter, I will see you tomorrow," spoke Dumbledore, dismissing Harry back to Gryffindor tower.

It was about midday, and Harry decided that he might as well do some training to relieve all the recent stress.  He climbed into his trunk and started in the library to look up some new spells.

Authors Extended Note:  I *almost* decided to do a resorting in this chapter, of Blaise, then I thought of doing one for Harry, then back to Blaise, then I thought I'll postpone that decision to see where the story takes it.  I was going to make it longer before I posted, but it seemed like a good ending point.


	13. Chapter 13 Worries and Wands

**Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix**

**Chapter 13 - Worries and Wands**

**A/N**: I'm trying this chapter out just to see if there is any of this story left in my mind. If there is, well, hot damn. I needed to see if anything is still there, and to "fix" a couple of things before Halloween. I've got oodles of more ideas for my other fic, Betrayed Used and Royally Pissed (unfortunately the acronym is BURP). I don't own any of this, and have no idea if I'll continue this after this chapter, or after the real 6th book comes out. Thanks to the reviewers, I'm still stunned at how many this story's received. And I restarted a Yahoo Group, for both this story and BURP...name of the group is LeTimboFanFiction. And to everyone that's assumed it's Harry/Blaise…you so sure about that? insert evil author grin here . Sorry for any grammatical problems, no more beta. And on we go…

* * *

Blaise hadn't seen nor heard from her parents in weeks, but it was widespread knowledge that the Zabinis had broken their neutrality and sided with Dumbledore. Having it plastered on both the front pages of the _Daily Prophet_ and _The Quibbler_ on the same day would generally do that. Many other neutral families decided that this was the motivation they needed to choose a side once and for all. Most, but not all, of the neutrals began to support Dumbledore, but there were rumors that other families, not as many mind you but too many to forget about, began to support Voldemort. Blaise told Harry that after it was made public, she gave Malfoy a good cursing, both verbal and magical, and was moved into a private room after she was hexed in her sleep. Harry never found out which hex, or who did it, but Blaise assured him that the person who did it was punished She told him in one of her study sessions that it was offered for her to change houses after the nighttime attack, but she refused. Harry asked her why, but she refused to give a full answer, and he eventually stopped asking, although he always wondered.

It is not often that there were many similarities between the Slytherin Dungeons and the Gryffindor Tower, but tensions were just as high in Gryffindor as Slytherin. The schism between Ron and Harry has begun to affect the entire tower. Hermione tried to play the go between the two, but it began to wear on her to the point of exhaustion, and it began to show in their classes, particular the DA. Seeing Hermione frazzled rattled Harry, and decided to have a chat with Hermione.

"Look, Hermione, you know I can't forgive or forget what Ron did to Blaise. It was uncalled for. Yes, this means the end of the Golden Trio for now, but I can still be friends with you without being friends with Ron."

"Look, Harry, I know that. I just want everything to go back how it was."

"That just can't happen Hermy."

"Because you and Ron are just so…bloody…stubborn!"

"Bloody Hermione? When'd you begin to expand your vocabulary…"

"Shush Harry."

"And as for being stubborn, I'm sorry if I take offense to a former friend trying to maim one of my new ones." Harry said with just a hint of anger in his voice.

"Look, I know, and the Zabinis have certainly showed the world that they are firmly on the side of the light, and now that they are in the light, Ron would never think…"

"They were on the 'side of the light'," Harry used air quotes for that phrase, "before Ron used one of the worst legal curses around."

"Look, I know, and I'm not saying it's right, but I can understand why…"

"Look, Hermione, I think we should probably stop talking before we get even deeper into an argument. What I wanted to tell you is that you've become completely frazzled over the past couple of weeks." Harry continued talking over Hermione's indignant scoff. "And I want to make it clear that we will be friends even if you and Ron are friends. I have a lot of good friends outside our house, and Ron, well, doesn't…"

"Harry, if you are going to suggest what I think you are about to suggest…" Hermione interrupted, but Harry continued to talk.

"And I think it would ease House tensions if you would stop trying to be the go between us all the time. You're his best friend, and he needs you to stop trying to constantly be 'buddy buddy' with someone he can't stand."

"So WHAT do you want me to Harry, stop being friends with you?"

"Of course not. Just…"

"Not in public? Are you ashamed to be seen in public with me?" Hermione said with barely contained anger, as her face began to turn red.

"Hermione! Stop taking this the wrong way. Sweet Merlin, would you think logically for just a minute!" Harry paused…and continued with a small smirk on his face. "Never thought I'd have to say that to you of all people…"

Hermione looked like she was about to start yelling again, but suddenly burst out laughing. "Ok, ok, I admit I was being just a little hard on you there. You do have a point. I just don't want to forget about our friendship. The moment you see me pulling away because of Ron, just…smack me or something."

Harry snorted. "Like I could if I tried."

It was Hermione's turn to smirk.

* * *

The DA moved much smoother after their conversation, even though it was still tense between Ron and Harry. Harry and Hermione began to lead the group in spells that weren't normally taught (therefore not normally taught how to counteract) that incapacitated an opponent.

"Ok class, the spell for today is **Inanis**. Anyone know what it does?" Neville timidly raised his hand. "Neville?"

"It causes the subject to faint dramatically."

"How'd you hear that?" shouted Seamus.

"I heard Lockhart used it on his cheering fans to make his events more…newsworthy"

All the females blushed as most of the guys burst out in laughter.

"Well, even though Lockhart used it, it's still a good spell. Make sure you get the pronunciation right, and the wand movement is a subtle twitch. Makes it easy to conceal. **Enervate** won't work to counteract this spell like it would normal stunning spells. The only way is tap your wand on the person's forehead and cast **Enervinanis**. Hermione will show you once how it's done. Hermione?"

"Ok Harry, you asked for it. **Inanis!**" Harry put the back of his hand to his forehead, gasped, and fainted dead away. He woke up seeing Hermione's laughing grin. "Harry forgot to mention what happens right before the actual fainting. It's a little different for everyone apparently, and depends on the situation you're in. If you're in an extremely hostile situation, you might shriek at the top of your lungs before fainting, for example. Pair off class and practice. And here's a hint, you will be tested on either how to cast this spell or the counter spell. Side A cast on the count of three."

Almost everyone seems to get the spell after a couple of tries. Only a few were assigned to keep practicing the spell for homework, as long as they had a willing partner. "And if I see anyone use this spell on someone outside this lesson without permission, it'll be a detention, as per class policy. We forgot to remind you last week and look what happened. We expected better." Hermione had to remind the class, after she caught Colin Creevy, of all people, using a DA spell on a fourth year Slytherin, who apparently tried to break Colin's camera.

* * *

Harry was off in his trunk, finishing up a Transfiguration essay, when Corning swooped onto his desk, landing right on top of his textbook.

"I guess I haven't spent that much time with you lately. Sorry Corning. Life got…difficult. Well, life is always difficult it seems, but more difficult than normal. I'm having this huge fight with Ron, and even my old friends seem a little more standoffish than before. Blaise is great and all, but after this mess with her parents and Malfoy and all I just feel responsible for ensuring her safety. Classes are ok, but work me so hard I hardly have the time to think."

Corning nuzzled Harry's hand, and sang to him, "I understand. Remember I am here not just to aide you in battle. I have been thinking, and realize you could use a gift from me." Corning started to preen her feathers, until a rather long feather fell onto Harry's desk. Without comment, she flew out of her trunk, presumable to her perch.

Harry sat looking at the feather. _She left me a feather. That is great and all, but what should I use it for._ Harry took the feather and stored it in the second compartment of his trunk, after putting on an even stronger locking charm than normal to protect it.

Harry had his Herbology practicum the next day, and was having to repot Speckled Fangtoothed Ferns using only his wand, when he thought about the feather waiting for him in his trunk. _This wand can't work against Voldemort's. Maybe I need a new wand, and maybe Corning's feather would work as a core for the wand...I should owl Ollivander and see what he says. And I think I should keep this a secret between the two of us._

Harry mailed Ollivander that very night, inquiring about a custom made wand. The owl he got the next morning surprised him twofold, one, the speed in which it arrived and two, the contents.

"_Dear Mr. Potter,_

I understand your desire for a custom built wand, and understand your desire for discretion in the manner. In order to fully customize a wand, there are a few things which you must owl to me.

_a) Core sample. I normally work with Phoenix Feathers, Dragon Heartstrings, and Unicorn hair, but as a special order I can build a wand with whatever cores you send me. You must make sure the cores are compatible with your magic. To do this, hold the core in your wand hand, and wave it. You should have some sort of positive feeling. You'll know what I mean when it happens._

_b) Wood. In order to customize your wand, you also must send a block of the wood desired for the wand. This block needs to be at least 2 feet tall, and 6 inches wide. To see if the wood is compatible, touch the tree you wish to harvest the wood from. You will know if it's the right one for you._

_c) Measurements. You need to send how long the wand should be. To do this, please use the enclosed measuring tape. Hold it in your wand hand and say "Activate." When the tape is done, send it back to me and it will show me how long the wand should be."_

Harry set out to do this by the end of the day. Classes seemed to go slower than normal, and in many classes he was asked why he seemed so distracted. Finally, after his Transfiguration practical he raced to his trunk. He gently took Corning's donated feather, and waved it in his right hand._ Well, it feels right, but sort of incomplete._ He pondered that while he grabbed his invisibility cloak and his wand, and set out to the Forbidden Forest, the perfect place to find the wood for his wand. He spent over half an hour trying different trees, but got no feeling when touching some, and horrible feelings touching others. He was about to give up, when he spotted the all-too-familiar Whomping Willow. _Maybe...I do have experiences with it after all._ While the Willow was relatively calm, he ran to the trunk and pushed the knothole, calming the tree. When his hand touched the tree, a warm sensation immediately went up his arm. This was the tree. Unsure how to harvest the wood from a tree that would easily fight back, called for Corning.

"Corning, do you know how I could harvest a piece of wood from this tree?"

"Allow me to do it. I long ago established a rudimentary form of communication with the Willow," she sang. Then she flew up to the top of the Willow, sand a few notes, and when done brought a large piece of a branch, which was just large enough for Ollivander.

_Hmm...Corning's feather felt incomplete, especially after feeling the Whomping Willow._ _I wonder..._

Harry never thought he would visit the Chamber of Secrets again. It was well after curfew when he found himself going through Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom, and after a disgusting trip, causing Harry to mutter under his breath, "Well, some things never change," he finally reached the main part of the Chamber where he fought the Basilisk less than four years ago. The smell…the smell was worse than a Troll and caused Harry to gag repeatedly, but he saw what he was looking for. Harry walked up to the fallen snake, and using his wand levitated another fang out of the decaying skull of the beast. Having read up on Basilisks for his Animagi class, he knew that the poison was only on the inside of the tooth. If he was careful, he would be able to hold the tooth and test it's compatibility. He gently grabbed the tooth, and once again the incomplete but good feeling shot up his arm. Harry called for Corning and she swept him back to his trunk. When he finally grabbed the Basilisk fang along with Corning's feather, that same feeling he got from the Whomping Willow came back. He just hoped that Ollivander could make a wand with two different cores. He bundled up all the wand parts, after using the measuring tape and adding it to the package, he sent Corning to Ollivander with said package and a brief note explaining the dual cores. The next day he received his reply.

"_Mr. Potter,_

_In all my years, I never thought I would be making a wand out of a basilisk fang! You must tell me one day how you got this magnificent specimen. I can make a wand out of two cores, it's just extremely rarely done. Last time was in 1927, I believe. The process should take a couple of weeks, and I will withdrawal any funds from your Gringotts account, as you requested. When the wand is done, I shall call for your beautiful phoenix to deliver it for me, as I know that would be much more secure than simply owling it. Best wishes."

* * *

_

Halloween time was approaching, and even though most of the students were anticipating the great Halloween feast, a notable few were dreading the holiday. Harry Potter was one of the few. It seemed every Halloween something terrible happened, and he hoped this year wouldn't live up to the trend, and he was anxiously awaiting his second wand. Blaise Zabini was another. She was concerned over the latest wave of murmuring that followed her when she walked across the Slytherin common room, a sure fire sign that someone was being planned, and odds are it's against her. Hermione Granger was another concerned; she was starting to get the feeling at Ronald Weasly was going to ask her out soon, and she wasn't sure how to let him down gently without completely destroying their friendship…the crush longed since passed. Draco Malfoy was nervous more than anything. He had to find a way out of the castle during the feast to finally receive the Dark Mark during the Dark Lord's initiation rituals, which were only conducted on Halloween. And Albus Dumbledore was concerned, because all signs were pointing to another traitor in their mist.

**A/A/N**: The wand stuff was a last minute plot bunny. Thoughts?


	14. Chapter 14 Halloween Time

A/N: I think I once swore I would only keep this in Harry's POV, but this was too good an opportunity to pass up. This chapter is done in a rotating POV. I present you Halloween, continued right where we left off. Next chapter will return to the normal POV, I think so, at least. As usual, I am making absolutely no money off of this, and am only doing this to prove to myself I can actually write a coherent story. Enjoy, and don't forget to review or join the yahoo group, where if you leave questions in your reviews there's a high probability I'll answer them on the group, if it doesn't give away the story. And to save confusion, Italics either mean a thought a letter, or a flashback. Bold is used for spells. I don't own any of these characters, the canon herself JK does…or maybe Warner Brothers does…maybe Scholastic…who knows? Anyways, it's not me, and I am not here to make any money. The non-evil Slytherin camp should especially like Blaise in this chapter. And I got a new beta. Yay! Her name is Pheobie, and a pal of mine, so feel free to point out every single possible mistake. And this might just be my longest chapter to date. Don't get used to it!

Warning: The Draco Malfoy part of this chapter is more than a little dark. I may have to up the rating for it, so if you are squeamish over blood and, well, torture, avoid the chapter and skip to the very end of the section. There is a reason I went into such detail.

* * *

Chapter 14 

Halloween Time!

_Halloween time was approaching, and even though most of the students were anticipating the great Halloween feast, a notable few were dreading the holiday. Harry Potter was one of the few. It seemed every Halloween something terrible happened, and he hoped this year wouldn't live up to the trend, and he was anxiously awaiting his second wand. Blaise Zabini was another. She was concerned over the latest wave of murmuring that followed her when she walked across the Slytherin common room, a sure fire sign that someone was being planned, and odds are it's against her. Hermione Granger was another concerned; she was starting to get the feeling at Ronald Weasly was going to ask her out soon, and she wasn't sure how to let him down gently without completely destroying their friendship…the crush longed since passed. Draco Malfoy was nervous more than anything. He had to find a way out of the castle during the feast to finally receive the Dark Mark during the Dark Lord's initiation rituals, which were only conducted on Halloween. And Albus Dumbledore was concerned, because all signs were pointing to another traitor in their mist. (Chapter 13)_

* * *

**Hermione Granger**

Hermione had a crush on one Ron Weasly for the longest time, ever since he saved her from the troll in their first year. Sure Harry had helped, but Ron was the one that knocked it out after all. She was desperate for him to ask her to the Yule Ball in their fourth year, but he lollygagged around and when Krum kept asking her, she finally gave in and said yes. Too bad Ron was too late. But this year her crush finally had started to dissipate. Sure, it was still going strong when Ron and Harry had begun their fight, but she had reached her limit. The Ronald Weasly she knew would never have let this fight carry on for so long. _He doesn't even seem to care if they are ever friends again. This is much worse than fourth year._

Worst of all, she had begun to pick up signs that Ron was finally interested and was going to ask her out sooner rather than later and she had no idea how to handle it. Sure, part of her wanted to say yes, but the larger part of her wanted to say no. But after flying off the handle at Harry like that and attacking Blaise, how would he take her rejection? And just being slightly scared of his reaction…isn't that reason enough to say no and never look back?

_Surely I'm over exaggerating. He would never hurt me. '_Just like he'd never hurt Harry?' the often ignored part of her mind piped up. _No, he was angry with Harry because he was supplanting their friendship for one with Blaise. How can I let him down easy?_

Hermione spent most of the day thinking, and it's a good thing she did, because Ron cornered her just before the Halloween feast was scheduled to start.

"Hey, Hermione, I found out from my father that tomorrow's a Hogsmeade Weekend. Dumbledore's going to announce it later tonight at the feast. I was wondering if you would, you know, like to go with me, as in a date type of thing."

"Umm, well...If you would have asked me 2 months ago I wouldn't have a second thought."

"So why do I sense a big 'but' coming on?" muttered Ron with a flushed face.

"Because…we've all changed in the past couple of months. The whole dynamic of the house is off. Not to mention the War going on. I just don't know if it would be wise for us to go out on a date with the current climates." Hermione cringed. That was not the plan of action she had decided on earlier. _I have to work on keeping my cool in a tense situation_.

"Is this about Potter? Was I right when I thought you two were a couple in the beginning of the year! I KNEW IT!"

"Ron calm down. Harry and I were never a couple. But you are right, this is partially about Harry, if you want me to be honest." Ron looked like he had just taken a PepperUp potion and steam was about to shoot out of his ears. "Not in the sense you're thinking about. You just don't seem to be the same Ron I had a crush on…" Hermione blushed at this. She wasn't counting on admitting that either.

"You had a crush on me? And you think I'm the only one that's changed around here?"

"Well, no, but you did try to seriously injure a student."

"She's a SLYTHERIN!"

"But she's still a student, and she's on the side of the light."

"She is now. Or at least that is what she says. Look, that's not the point."

"I think it is the point though Ron. The guy I had a crush on and who I wanted to ask me to the Yule Ball would have never even thought to use that curse, much less actually use it, almost successfully, on another student. And whenever I try to talk about it, you shut yourself off. How could we have any sort of relationship with that?"

"Look. I…I know I've been off this year. Seeing Pot…Harry flirt with you and flirt with Blaise just set me off. I wanted to be the one to flirt with you. Not Harry."

"Maybe it's not too late for that Ron. But not right now."

Ron. In a rare moment of maturity, asked the question Hermione has been wanting to answer. "What can I do to show you I'm the same Ron you had a crush on?"

Hermione paused. She wasn't expecting him flat out ask. "Well. For starters, you need to actually show some real remorse over trying to curse Blaise. You need to try and be friends with Harry again. I can't force you to be friends, but you could at least be courteous to him like you are to any other Gryffindor. You are going to have to be the old Ron again. I don't want you to just pretend, because not only would I see through that I would be offended."

Ron hesitantly agreed, but Hermione couldn't tell if he was being serious about it or not. She said her piece and did all she could, but thinking back on the conversation something stuck her. Why did he know that tomorrow would be a Hogsmeade weekend. He mentioned that his father knew, but why would his father know something like that, that is unless Dumbledore needed the extra security?

**

* * *

Albus Dumbledore**

Halloween was on a Friday this year, and in the spirit of things, with all puns intended, Albus Dumbledore decided to make the weekend a Hogsmeade weekend, the first one of the year. By waiting to the last minute to announce this, at the Feast tonight when he knew at least some students with questionable allegiances might not be there, he hoped to avoid any surprise attacks.

At this thought, Dumbledore rubbed his forehead gently. It is just like during the first war with Voldemort with students deciding to throw their allegiance to Voldemort and not the side of the light. Some, he could understand, after all if they were raised to be dark then its extremely hard to not end up that way, the Malfoy family providing enough examples to prove this statement. Severus was another who was trained at an early age to hate, but managed to overcome this and acted as a spy in the first War. Even though his influence was greatly diminished, he still bore the Dark Mark and did what Voldemort asked of him, which was generally limited to brewing potions. Severus is the one who brought him word of the ritual tonight, and Severus was the one who the students would meet up with in the Forbidden Forest. It remained to be seen if Voldemort would use Severus as the main contact to the marked students. Either way, Severus will know whom the student Death Eaters are inside Hogwarts and they can be duly watched. They would not be arrested immediately, for a variety of reasons. At the moment, although that will change soon enough, simply possessing the mark is no crime itself, because there is no way to determine if it was put on by Voldemort or just a magical tattoo in a spot of teenage rebellion. He also hoped that even though they may have taken the Mark, students would ultimately see their wrong and support the light. And even if they did arrest those with the Mark immediately, how would they tell the public how they knew? Severus would be immediately suspected as a spy and Voldemort has a kill first ask questions later policy on potential spies, which is how they lost their other spies in the first War.

Certain precautions needed to be in place for the Hogsmeade trip. The Order of the Phoenix will be on duty, albeit in secret, and the Ministry had agreed to provide some Aurors for the trip. He alerted the various stores in the town that they were coming, to give them the necessary time to prepare their stock and any store security they would want in place. Minister Weasly is taking more precautions than normal; with two of his children going into Hogsmeade the Minister's personal guard will also be on duty. Hopefully the security will be enough. In the first war there was only one attack on Hogsmeade that occurred during a Hogsmeade weekend, but luckily the potential crisis was quelled before it got out of hand. _I can only hope we will be as lucky and as prepared as last time. Our bad luck with traitors seems to be holding strong..._

In the last War there were several traitors to the Order, the most notable being Pettigrew. There already seems to be a traitor in their midst, and this infuriated Dumbledore to no end. Very few people had ever seen Albus Dumbledore truly angry, but rest assured once he found who was betraying the Order they would experience his anger full force. And to think that someone would betray Harry Potter…Granted they were working off the suspicions of one Blaise Zabini, but as the saying goes, "CONSTANT VIGILANCE." Miss Zabini said that they seemed to already know about Harry's trunk, and that it appeared they knew more but couldn't be certain. That means a student, in addition to any member of the Order and some on Diagon Alley, betrayed that snippet of information. It turns out that it was not as narrow a window as originally thought. The longer he thought about it the wider the amount of possibilities. Who knows how many students may have seen his trunk. Almost every Order member knew about it and contributed something to the trunk. There were only a few in Diagon Alley who knew that the trunk purchased was going to Harry Potter, but there could have been anyone spying on their trip.

Dumbledore let out a great sigh. _I would never admit this to anyone, least of all Minerva or Poppy, but some days I think I may be too old to wage another War. I have made many mistakes, far too many. But who could lead the light? There are none in the Order who would or could act in the capacity of a Muggle General, and none who are willing to be the public figurehead for the light. Nonetheless, I need to consider the possibility that I will not live to see the end of the War. I know I cannot kill Tom, but he could kill me. I need to start training a successor as General...someone with new ideas on how to wage this war. Minerva could easily take care of Hogwarts if something should ever happen, and even though he would despise it, Mr. Potter could easily be the figurehead he almost already has become._

The preparations for the Halloween Feast, by contrast, were much less stressful than his other musings. These celebrations were all the more important in a time of war. Everybody, especially children, needed to be reminded that there is a life filled with its own kind of magic apart from the war. Minerva had the suggestion of having a masked ball for the students, but Dumbledore thought it would be better suited for a different holiday…and the students would need more time to design their masques. He decided to have a ghost story contest for the younger years, with the judges being real ghosts. The Fat Friar, Sir Nicholas and, surprisingly, the Bloody Baron all volunteered to judge. For the older years there would be a pumpkin carving contest, and an informal dance put on by the Skeleton Quartet, with various booths put on by the Muggle Studies classes featuring traditional Muggle Halloween Games. He tried to talk the professors into featuring special Halloween-focused lessons, and as usual, the only professor to refuse was Severus.

The professor's eyes twinkled. What would Halloween be without a few surprises? He walked down to the Charms corridor to see about a special charm for the doors to the Great Hall for the night…

**

* * *

Blaise Zabini**

Blaise had missed studying with Harry over the past few weeks. They were assigned new Potions partners; it turns out this would now be a monthly thing. She only saw Harry when they met for pre-arranged study times and in classes, but not nearly as often as in the beginning of the year. She missed studying with Harry, but she refused to admit she might have just missed hanging out with Harry and not just the studying. She also would never admit to being scared, but she was often on alert. After all, living in the Slytherin dungeons when it widely known that her family sided with Dumbledore could be classified as attempted suicide in some circles. She thoroughly enjoyed her own room, and considered the late night hexing it took to get one a small price to pay.

She hated the murmurs though. Last time she heard the constant murmuring in the common room she was hexed. She was fully expecting some sort of prank or attack today, on Halloween. What better day to scare the daylights after a "House Traitor" then on the very day they would expect it. Blaise audibly snorted at this, causing a few raised eyebrows in the common room. She blushed and got back pretending to be enthralled with one of her Potions texts.

_Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only real Slytherin left at all! What happened to the great and noble house of the cunning? Most of these slags couldn't think of a cunning plan for the life of them. Many of them desire to flock to a power hungry false lord and become lackeys! Where's the ambition in that? No wizard can grant another more magical power, and if they could why would Voldemort do that? Give up power willingly? I'll give him credit; he's certainly ambitious enough to be Slytherin, so why don't those morons who follow him realize it? Now the constant muttering and murmuring...if they wanted to plan some sort of trick on me Halloween is the last day they should chose! It's just too obvious. I think we need to institute some inner-house classes or something. "Slytherin 101: How to create a cunning plan." _Blaise snorted again, but this time glared at the people around her who started to mutter again. _Fools._

"Uh, Blaise?" A third year that Blaise couldn't quite recall ever meeting was looking at her with the oddest look on his face. "I was wondering…if…youwouldn'tmindtalkingtoagroupofusinprivate."

"You were wondering what?" Blaise could hardly understand the twitchy little thing.

The third year dropped his voice to just above a whisper. "If you wouldn't mind talking to a group of us…in private."

_Are you kidding me? This is what the crafty and the clever have come to? Asking flat out if I could go along with a group of them in private? What type of prank are they thinking about putting on! He's only a third year, he couldn't do anything, even though Malfoy could have put him up to it to try and lure me somewhere in private._ "Why should I even consider that? I've been hexed by who knows. And I should just go off with a group of you, somewhere _private?_"

"Look. Do you think we're stupid enough to tell you about anything we'd do in advance? Don't answer that. You can pick the place. Just…"

Blaise thought this over for a bit. Her room had been recently warded by Professor Snape to prevent anyone with harmful intentions to enter. _I suppose I could see what they want. This might have something to do with my parents' decisions...and I did promise to look out for what was happening down here in the Dungeons..._

"Ok. Meet in my room in 10 minutes. If anything funny happens, trust me, you'll regret it."

* * *

Having a conversation with this…eclectic…group of Slytherins turned out to be the best decision she made all week. 

"Blaise. Some of us in this room have no desire to follow You-Know-Who, but most just aren't sure what to do. You and your family came out supporting Dumbledore, the first traditionally-Slytherin family to do so," started the third year, which had finally introduced himself as Rocky Maltese, "and we wanted to ask you why you don't support him."

"Well. Loaded question. I'm certainly not going to answer 'because it's the right thing to do, so I have to'. I'm still a Slytherin, don't worry. Why? Well, what's to be gained by supporting Voldemort over Dumbledore? One side is going to win the war and one won't. That's a pretty clear statement, but compare what would happen under a world run by Voldemort compared to how it is now? Sure, there's incompetence in the Ministry and there are under qualified people governing the more qualified. But I want to be the one to replace those incompetents. Voldemort wants to destroy the whole system, and crown himself ruler. Where is the opportunity to move up to rule if he's the one deciding who dies and who is allowed to move up? That would squash all ambition left. Who wants to be the one that can serve the 'Dark Lord' (using airquotes) the best when you can be the one to rule magical society? Voldemort kills and tortures his own followers regularly! He couldn't give a flying flip what your ambitions are, but if they conflict with his it's a death sentence or worse."

"We were told he rewards his followers…"

"By who? Malfoy?" She smirked at the nodding of the fourth year that replied. "You should have learned by now not to trust anything Malfoy says. His father served Voldemort and it got him in prison with dementors for Merlin's sake."

"But how is having Dumbledore tell you what to do any different than Voldemort telling you what to do?" asked the only seventh year, Celeste Woodward

"Dumbledore certainly has never told me what to do. My parents offered to help Dumbledore with what they could do. He listened to them and only asked them to do what they offered. Voldemort doesn't care if you want to do it or not. You do it or die." Replied Zabini, as she began to pace around the room. _This is exactly what needed to happen._

"But we're Slytherins! V..Vol..He is more powerful than Dumbledore. He came back from the dead! Shouldn't we go with who is the most powerful?" asked a rather frightened first year. She was glad to see that five out of the six first years were here.

"What makes you so sure Voldemort is more powerful than Dumbledore? Don't forget about Golden Boy Potter. He survived Voldemort's own killing curse. If you add up the power of everyone fighting for Voldemort and compare it to everyone who's fighting against him, you'd find that there's an overwhelming majority of power on the side of Dumbledore. And Voldemort never actually died, don't forget." Replied Blaise, starting to gather some steam.

"Well, what can we do inside Slytherin then?" asked Celeste. "I'm tired of feeling like I don't belong in my own house."

"Me Too," agreed Blaise, "Just look around! We've got almost all of the younger years and quite a few of the older ones in here. We don't need to worry about being bossed around by Malfoy and his junior Death Eater goons. We need to stick together, the younger years especially. They will only hurt you if you get into a situation where it's just you versus one or more of them. Stick together. Don't let them tell you what to do or what to think. You are just as good, if not better, than they are. Those who aren't already actively supporting Voldemort and are unsure, talk to them about the other option. Or at least convince them to remain neutral and ride out the war. They shouldn't have to take a side as long as they remain in Hogwarts. Just remember that not following Voldemort does not make you any less of a Slytherin. If anything, it makes you more of one. Salazar Slytherin would have never allowed anyone to tell him what to do with our lives, and neither should we!" Blaise looked stunned when some of the group started to applaud. "I should leave the speeches to Potter." Many started to giggle at this. It was pretty common knowledge that Harry and Blaise had formed somewhat of a friendship around Slytherin House. "Now, any more questions?"

Blaise resolved to tell Harry about what had happened in Slytherin House that day. She knew she would see him at the Halloween Feast and would corner him before he could split off to the Gryffindor table. After the rather long conversation, it was almost time for the feast anyhow. She walked to the Great Hall, and looked a little concerned after seeing Flitwick and Dumbledore walking away from the doors sharing an inside joke. Shrugging it off, she marched through the doors and felt an odd tingling sensation. She looked down and tried to yell "DUMBLEDORE! You meddling old fool. I could just murder you right now!" Unfortunately for Blaise, it came out as "Of the love or hatred God has for the English, I know nothing, but I do know that they will all be thrown out of France, except those who die there." _What the hell?_

**

* * *

Draco Malfoy**

Draco Malfoy had both been looking forward to and anxious about the arrival of Halloween. He would finally be inducted into the service of the Dark Lord. He just hoped his future Master would not be too upset for his failure to control that slag Zabini and use her to spy on Potter.

The Dark Lord only performed his initiations on magical holidays, but by far the most important ones were inducted on Halloween. It was an honor to be inducted at all, but a much bigger one to be inducted on Halloween. The Dark Lord had sent word to meet in the Forbidden Forest with the other few recruits and to go with Professor Snape to the meeting location. He had always known Snape was a Death Eater, but seeing it first hand and hearing about it from his father are two different experiences. His father. He was surprised the Dark Lord had not yet broken his father out of Azkaban, but he assumed they would be talking about it at the meeting tonight. His father had been the Dark Lord's most valued servant, and would surely be missed by the Dark Lord.

He was supposed to meet the others an hour before the start of the Halloween Feast. With the calamity that the Feast normally provides, with the fake illness he's supposedly been suffering from, no one would think twice about his absence from the old fool's party. He wasn't sure how many others he would be meeting there, but he had noticed other students supposedly ill that he would never have suspected to be attending tonight. Tonight he would become the man he was destined to be.

* * *

Fifteen minutes before the start of the feast, Draco made his way towards the Forbidden Forest. Night had just fallen and was dark enough to not be overly noticeable. Feeling pretty confident no one saw him leaving the castle, he began to breathe easier as he continued towards the Forbidden Forest. There was a small clearing just within the forest that Professor Snape would meet the other students. When he got there, there were four people already waiting for him. Pansy Parkinson was no surprise. He knew she was intelligent enough and dark enough to be welcomed into the Dark Lord's ranks. She was probably the first to arrive, knowing her. Anthony Goldstein from Ravenclaw was there. Draco's father often spoke of the Goldstien's as being a proper wizarding family, even though they were often too smart for their own good. His main surprise was Zacharias Smith. _A Hufflepuff gone dark. Now I've seen it all._

"You sure you're in the right place Smith? This isn't one of the Halloween booths."

"Cram it Malfoy. I'm here for the same reason you are. At least _my_ father is still able to properly serve the Dark Lord, unlike some disgraces here. Beat by the mudblood Granger. Must be driving him more insane than Azkaban already has."

"You count yourself lucky that we are on our way to see the Dark Lord tonight. I don't want to bloody up his latest recruits," replied Malfoy with an icy glare.

"Both of you cram it. I don't want to have to separate a pair of sixth years." This came from a seventh year Slytherin called Christopher Franzen.

An uncomfortable silence fell on the five of them, until some unsettling wrestling in the trees around them led to the arrival of Professor Snape. "Good, the five of you are here. You may be surprised to find some of your peers not here. This does not mean that they do not or will not serve the Dark Lord, but he only wanted the best and the brightest to be inducted on Halloween night. More students will be inducted soon. Gather around and grab this branch. It will portkey us to his location. You are expected to have learned how to Apparate, if you don't know already, by time he calls you next. The portkey will activate in five seconds."

Four and a half seconds later, Snape, Malfoy, Parkinson, Franzen, Goldstein and Smith arrived to the gathering point. None knew exactly how many would be inducted tonight, but there were many people and creatures from all walks of life arriving. The slow murmuring that was going through the crowd immediately fell into a hushed silence as the members of the Inner Circle arrived, with the Dark Lord Voldemort following. Everyone, including the Inner Circle, dropped down to one knee as Voldemort entered the room and began to speak.

"Death Eaters and recruits, this is a grand occasion. Only the top recruits are initiated into the ranks of the Death Eaters on Halloween. This year we have a total of thirteen joining our ranks, with five coming from within Hogwarts herself. Recruits, rise and step forward." The thirteen complied, some in visible awe by merely standing close to the Dark Lord. Some were much older than the Hogwarts Five and some, like Marcus Flint, had barely graduated. "You must prove your worth not only to me but to your fellow Death Eaters. As a group, go to a completely random Muggle village. Bring back 2 prisoners each and wait for further instructions. Bellatrix will take you to the town and bring you back."

Bellatrix grinned at the thirteen and led them away. "I expect you to also cause as much destruction while gathering your prisoners. If any of the Inner Circle, which includes myself, are unhappy with you by the end of the night, you will not be granted the opportunity to join our lord's service. Grab a portkey from the basket and say 'Pureblood.' This will take you to the village. You may be sent to the same village or to different villages. Once you have your two prisoners, portkey them back and wait here until all thirteen have arrived. I may or may not apparate there to watch your progress. Now go."

Draco was portkeyed to a small village…he had no idea where. It was in stark contrast to the lavish manor where the Death Eaters were meeting. _Muggles. If they live like this they are better off dead._ Only two recruits were portkeyed with him: Goldstein and Parkinson. Malfoy immediately took charge. "Ok, Goldstien, you take the house with the broken door. Parkinson, take the house across from it. Meet here as soon as possible. Take the prisoners and destroy the house, and do whatever else you can do to cause a little damage."

Malfoy marched into the house…calling it a house was too good. He marched into the hovel and found a couple sleeping in a large bed off to the side. No children, but two pets, both dogs. Malfoy snarled…he hated dogs. He started off by stunning both dogs, which woke up the couple. Both appeared to be about fifty years old, and immediately tried to plead with him, which Malfoy cackled at. "Please sir, we have nothing you could use. Just let us go. Please."

"Shut up. **Imperio. Imperio.**" Malfoy felt a rush as he gained total control over both members of the couple. He commanded to the wife, "kill the two dogs, using nothing but your hands and your teeth." He broke the curse on the husband long enough for him to watch his beloved wife brutalize the only family members they had left. "Marie, stop. Marie, leave Fred and Ginger alone. Marie, stop! MARIE! NOOOO!" Malfoy found this even funnier than their pathetic pleading before. He put the husband under the Imperious curse again, and had them march outside.

"Well done Draco. I'm glad to see the darkness alive and well in the family. Destroy the hovel and lets go," replied an obviously pleased Bellatrix. "Your mother and father would be so proud to see you." Draco took one last look at the hovel, shouted **Incendio** and saw the hovel burst into flamed.

All thirteen made it back to the manor with their two prisoners. It appeared that only a few managed to get actual family members, and one or two had a father or mother and child. "Have the muggle scum march into the great hall. One by one go in there, torture the two Muggles to your liking and execute them. Parkinson, you first." Malfoy, glad he didn't have to go first so he had time come with creative ways to kill the two.

Finally Malfoy was called. He was the last to go, and had a lot to live up to. He started off by lifting the Imperious curse from one and having the other attack with using only their hands and teeth. This got cheers from the crowd of Death Eaters. Taking it as the good sign that it was, Malfoy continued to have the couple physically abuse the other. Finally, Malfoy had enough of the whimpering, and at the encouragement of the crowd (who was chanting "Kill them!") Malfoy cast **Odium** on both of the two. This was the first time Malfoy had seen the curse in action. Both Muggles got intense looks of hatred on their faces, and grabbed the knives that had suddenly appeared in their hands, thanks to the curse. Each couple stabbed themselves in their stomach and dragged the knife upward through their chest. The woman fell much earlier than the man, who made it all the way to his upper torso before falling. To finish off the two, Malfoy castthe killing curse on each and joined the rest of the recruits, to the applause of the rest of the Death Eaters.

"Well done, well done. I am please to say all thirteen of you have passed the initiation trials. Step up to receive your mark." One by one, each recruit went up to Voldemort, where upon the Dark Lord cast the spell **Morsmordre** and the Dark Mark appeared on the forearm of the newly minted Death Eater. Draco Malfoy was the last to receive his mark. When it was his turn, he walked slowly up to Voldemort, kneeled, and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes. Voldemort sneered, small enough to be picked up on by Malfoy but not by the Death Eaters present. **"MORSMORDRE!" **Malfoy had only felt this kind of pain when his father was punishing him for coming in second to a mudblood in classes. It felt like his forearm was on fire. Worst of all, he could feel part of his magic leaving his body and going straight towards the mark. Cringing slightly, but not wanting to step out of line, Malfoy muttered "Thank you Master," and joined the rest of the newly minted Death Eaters.

With the initiation complete, the meeting appeared to go on as normal meeting, for all that Malfoy could tell. Malfoy and his fellow students were largely ignored in the meeting. They were talking about plans for a raid, but it seemed they never mentioned the actual location. Malfoy knew that no one would betray the Death Eaters, but the extra level of security was a wise idea. Malfoy was anticipating the end of the meeting when he was startled by a cold summons "Malfoy."

Draco scrambled up to his feet. What could his new master need of him? "Yes Master?"

"I am extremely disappointed in you Malfoy."

Draco's face fell. "For what master?"

"And now you question me. I shall enlighten you, in my graciousness. You not only failed to get control of the Zabini girl and get her to spy on Harry Potter, but you in your carelessness caused the Zabini family to support the meddling old fool. And they convinced OTHER families. You need to be punished."

Draco paled. "Yes Master. I apologize, and ask what I can do for you."

"You? Can do nothing other than scream. **CRUICO!"**

Draco started shrieking before the curse hit. As soon as it hit, Draco started convulsing. It was worse than the pain of the Dark Mark, and it was all over his body, every single nerve firing in pain. He never imagined he could be in this much pain. Draco would later be awed by the amount of power the Dark Lord had, and wonder if he would survive long enough as a servant to be a servant. Right now all he could do was shriek, scream, and beg and plead for mercy.

**

* * *

Harry Potter**

Harry Potter woke up on the morning of Halloween worried about what the day would bring. He never had a great Halloween ever since his parents were murdered on Halloween night 15 years ago. He was never allowed to go trick or treating with the other kids growing up and the first Halloween in the wizarding world he had to fight a troll! It seemed to spiral down from there. Last year the school was too much under the thumb of Umbridge to be able to have any sort of celebration. He was fully expecting Voldemort to attack the school or for it to start raining Polyjuice Potion or something equally chaotic. The chaos started when Corning burst into flames, arriving right on top of him still in bed.

"Merlin! Corning! Don't do that! You scared the day lights out of me!"

Corning looked a little put out at this. "Fine then. I have your package from Ollivander. It was causing some trouble so I had to get here as soon as possible rather than fly."

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to get all snippy with you. Just drop the package on the bed. Thanks."

_Finally, my new wand! I've been waiting for this to arrive. You know, I bet it's illegal to have more than one wand at the same time. Who care though, I need it, and Ollivander did make it for me after all._ Harry opened the package. He grabbed the piece of parchment and read.

"_Mr. Potter_

_Enclosed it your new wand. It was a challenge to create, as the wood you selected wasn't very happy about being manipulated. Hopefully it will be less…temperamental…for you. The wand core is made of the Basilisk fang wrapped in the phoenix feather. This worked better than expected and should prove to be a powerful wand in your hand. Hopefully the wood will allow you to actually hold it in your hand. The wand itself is twelve and a quarter inches. Any questions, go ahead and owl me."_

Harry snorted while reading the letter. _Looks like the whomping willow gave Ollivander a few whomps when he was working with it. He seems glad to get rid of it. Hope it works..._

Harry opened the package and gasped at what he saw. It was a beautiful wand, and much longer than his old one. Harry timidly picked up the wand, and blinding sparks shot out of the wand. He had to cover his eyes, and the bright light woke up everyone else in his dorm.

"What the hell was that?" grumbled Seamus.

"New alarm spell? It is time to wake up anyways," suggested Neville.

Harry was quick to agree "Sounds right. See you at breakfast."

Harry went into his trunk to change. That was quite the interesting reaction. The sparks he got when he first used his older wand was certainly nothing that bright. Harry decided to not use the new wand for classes. It would make it common knowledge that he had a new wand, something Harry did not want to let out; and who knows what the results would be, after that little light show. He would practice with his wand here in his trunk at night and on the weekends and lock it up before leaving for classes.

Classes went better than expected, with it being Halloween and all. Potions was a battle as usual, but in Transfiguration, for example, they learned how to turn pumpkins into black cats. Points were given for the color of the cat's eyes, but taken away if the cat was still orange. Harry managed on his first attempt to only have a pumpkin with a black tail, but successfully managed it on his second. Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't notable for their topic: covering typical monsters associated with Halloween, but was notable for what happened after the lesson. After class Ron approached Harry, muttered a quick "Sorry for being a prat," and stormed away, followed by an outwardly pleased Hermione. He'll have to ask later what that was all about.

It was announced at lunch that all NEWT Practicums would be cancelled for the Halloween feast. Most of the older students breathed a sigh of relief, even though some (meaning the Ravenclaws and Hermione) bristled at the news.

The time for the Halloween Feast was almost here, and Harry was wondering why he was having such a good day. Nothing serious had happened, minus a plant in Herbology trying to take a bite out of him. Ron even tried to apologize, exactly for what he was unsure, but it was a step in the right direction. He also managed to complete the transformation into a basilisk in his special animagus training with McGonagall, but was only able to hold it for about a second, changing back to human after hearing McGonagall shout and cover her eyes. "Mr. Potter you would be wise to warn me the next time you attempt that. Now OUT!"

* * *

The time for the Halloween Feast had arrived finally arrived and Harry was dreading it. Nothing bad had happened so far, so something horrible had to happen during the feast. He made sure to take his wand, but left his new one behind…he needed to try it out with some more spells. As he was making his way to the Great Hall, he noticed a larger than usual crowd at the entrance to the hall. No one seemed to want to go in. 

"Well? What's keeping everyone? Go in already! Are the doors locked or something? Either go into the hall or let me through!" The crowd parted and let Harry through. _Watch there be another troll on the other side of these doors._ Harry went through the doors and felt a strange tingle. _Oh Merlin, what now?_ Harry looked inside the Great Hall and saw everyone and most of the teachers in costumes. _That must have been a charm on the door. Why did it go dark all the sudden?_ Harry pulled up the visor to his newly acquired metal helm and looked down to see himself dressed in a suit of armor, suddenly carrying a lance. _Oooooook._ He tried to tell the students still waiting in the hall that it was ok to come in, but he ended up actually saying, "This is a strange pavilion, but I suppose I may as well stay in it for the night. Either it is here for some adventure or other, in which case I ought to try the adventure, else the owners have gone away on holiday, and in that case they will not mind my taking shelter for one evening. Anyway, I am lost, and there is nothing else I can do." _Bugger_.

Trying to save any sort of dignity he had left, he ignored the giggles outside the Great Hall and strode to the Gryffindor table, where he plopped down with a loud clang and what appeared to be Hermione wearing a toga came and sat across from him. "Who are you?" Hermione asked in a more inquisitive tone than normal.

_It's me Harry! I'm some sort of knight is my guess. _"Sir Castor, do you think that it is a knightly question? Suppose I were Sir Lancelot, and was only calling myself the Chevalier Mal Fet-don't you think I might have some reasons for doing that, reasons which a gentleman of lineage ought to respect?" _Sir Lancelot. Well that explains it. Who on Earth is Hermione?"_

"Would it be a knightly question if it weren't the lowly Socrates asking the question?"

_So Hermione's Socrates. If I remember History of Magic, he was a wizard in the ancient Roman times known for driving Muggles insane for asking questions all the time and was eventually executed for it. How...appropriate. This has to be Dumbledore's work. _"Nay…for once shamed may never be recovered." _I certainly hope we aren't stuck talking like this all night long_.

"Do you think this is the work of the old wise one?" The look on Hermione's face made it obvious it wasn't a question, but looked slightly flustered after calling Dumbledore the 'old wise one.'

"I don't know, fair damsel. I don't know how I got here, so I don't rightly know who I am."

"Fair Damsel? I knew you were making advances on my scantily clad friend. Why would she take a knight when she could have the immaculate Gilderoy Lockhart?"

Harry almost shot pumpkin juice out of his nose. There was Ron, dressed in the same lilac colored robes Lockhart seemed to favor during his time at Hogwarts. Harry almost felt sorry for Ron. Almost being the operative word. Harry wondered how some of his other friends were dressed. Most of the hallway had finally entered after seeing Harry walk through.

"I want to go on a quest. I want to find an adventure."

"Why go on an adventure when you can discuss the causes of it instead?" asked Hermione, who rolled her eyes.

"Why go on adventure when I have gone on the only ones worth going on and wrote them into a concise yet lovely anthology?"

Harry walked around the Great Hall, and sought out some of his friends. Susan Bones was dressed as one of the guards at Buckingham Palace and refused to move from the doorway or say anything to the passersby. Harry involuntary saluted her with his lance, and kept on moving. Terry Boot was dressed as Leonardo DaVinci. Colin Creevy, much to Harry's dismay, was sporting an all-too familiar scar that caused Harry to re-close his helm in embarrassment. Harry walked up to where he thought he saw Blaise, who was dressed in a half suit of armor herself.

"You English dog, leave France or face death!" exclaimed Blaise as Harry approached.

Harry snorted uncontrollably. "If I were free or had my armour, I would fight any champion you liked to put forward, to prove that."

"You could not fight a champion of the lord, for I am Saint Joan D'Arc and survive long enough to wonder why you deserved it. Now get off my soil or all of your men shall perish!"

Harry, while unable to control his speech was able to walk away. If he stayed there, the argument he was having with Blaise, or Joan of Arc, or whoever she was, would just escalate further. _Hell, we'd probably end up having to joust or something._

Harry walked back to the Gryffindor table as the feast appeared and Harry dug into it with his usual relish. Hermione/Socrates asked "Why is it do you feel compelled to shove the food in as fast as possible?"

Harry shrugged. "I have been making a fool of myself. Did many people see me while I was mad?" and went back eating, tearing off a piece of turkey from the giant turkey leg he had acquired.

Finally, Dumbledore called for silence. "Happy Halloween! I'm glad to see so many colorful costumes here tonight. Now that the feast is done, the first through third years will follow the Grey Lady to an amateur ghost story telling contest!" The younger years broke out in an excited chatter. "The older years will stay in the Great Hall for a pumpkin carving contest, informal ball, and various booths and activities put on by the Muggle Studies class. Happy Halloween and have a good time all. Oh, and as for the charm used for your costume…"

Harry suddenly jumped to his feet, interrupting by shouting, "Very Well, if you can rescue me out of this prison, I will fight the faction of King Bagdemagus next Tuesday." Harry blushed furiously, all eyes on him (with Ron/Lockhart glaring for stealing the attention off himself), and sat back down.

"No need Sir Harry," Dumbledore chuckled, "I will lift the speech charm now. The costumes will dissolve at midnight. Enjoy!" The entire Great Hall was immediately transformed. All of the House Tables vanished along with the benches causing many students to fall onto the floor. Booths were set up along one wall and long tables set up on the other with hundreds of pumpkins, fresh for the carving. A small band made up of skeletons started to perform some songs that could be heard on the WWN.

Harry, with Hermione and the other Gryffindor sixth years, even including Ron, went to the Pumpkin Carving table. Harry had never carved a pumpkin before, but he had seen the Durselys attempt to do it before and they had these dull knifes they were using. However there were no tools on these tables: only magic could be used. Harry had no idea how to proceed and, with his limited mobility in a suit of armor, Harry's attempt to carve a generic face on the pumpkin caused the pumpkin to shred into pieces and fly all over the people around him. Hermione even learned a valuable lesson: Pumpkin does not go well with toga.

After his miserable attempt at pumpkin carving, Harry left to go look at some of the Muggle Studies booths. Harry tried bobbing for apples with a now-mobile Susan. His favorite booth, however, was the "House of Horrors" where he had to put his hand in "Eyeballs" that were only peeled grapes. _Did anybody, Muggle or Magical, ever fall for those?_ He was just putting his hand in "Cow Brains" when Blaise Zabini came up to him and tapped him on his shoulder, causing a rather loud clang.

"Want to shock everyone here Sir Lancelot? I could take you up on that champion fighting contest you talked about earlier."

"Well Joan of Arc, I didn't think you wanted to be associated with English scum like myself," replied a smirking Harry.

Much to Harry's horror, Blaise pulled Harry onto the dance floor for one of the faster waltzes being played. Harry, having no idea how to dance, let Blaise lead him around. "Don't read anything into this Potter."

"Wasn't planning on it."

Blaise flushed a little at this, but Harry was suddenly acutely aware of several glares being sent his way from Ginny Weasly and Hermione Granger to Theodore Nott and Michael Corner.

Ending A/N : Geesh! Writing Hermione was pretty darn difficult. Sorry again about the Graphic Draco scenes. They do become important later. At least I think they will. I hope I don't have any nightmares over Fred and Ginger! And other ideas for Harry's costume included Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Napoleon, Winston Churchill, Wyatt Earp (which I had actually written but didn't like that much) The Lancelot quotes were taken from _The Once and Future King. _And feel free to make up costumes for the characters I didn't mention in the story…if good enough it might work its way into a later chapter.


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